Houston Astros left-hander Brooks Raley was suspended three games on Friday for intentionally hitting Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford with a pitch on Monday.
Major League Baseball said Raley is appealing the discipline, so the suspension will not start Friday night when the Astros visit the San Francisco Giants. Raley also was fined an undisclosed amount.
Also, Houston manager Dusty Baker received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine due to the incident. Baker is serving the suspension on Friday night.
Raley’s actions came immediately after serving up a grand slam to Dylan Moore that allowed the Mariners to take an 11-8 lead in a contest Houston once led 7-0. Seattle’s 11-8 lead held up.
Raley threw three straight inside pitches toward Crawford, finally plunking him in the upper back on the fifth pitch of the at-bat — a pitch that would have been ball four.
Mariners manager Scott Servais was enraged by the situation and unleashed a string of venom toward Raley, and the umpiring crew got together and ejected Raley.
Raley said after the game that “there was no intention there. Ball got away from me.”
Servais had a different view.
“You can’t let pitches get away like that and hit somebody after you give up a grand slam,” Servais said. “Was it on purpose? I don’t know. It was a very emotional game and I’m glad he got ejected.”
Raley is 2-3 with a 6.39 ERA in 38 appearances.
–Field Level Media