Chicago's Tim Anderson has been suspended six games and Cleveland's Jose Ramirez has received a three-game ban by Major League Baseball for starting a fight that sparked a benches-clearing brawl between the White Sox and Guardians on Saturday.

MLB announced the penalties on Monday, which also included fines to Anderson and Ramirez. Both players are appealing.

Also receiving suspensions are Guardians manager Terry Francona, closer Emmanuel Clase and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh. All received one-game bans, as did White Sox manager Pedro Grifol.

Francona and Clase will serve their ban Monday, when the Guardians open a four-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays, while Sarbaugh will sit on Tuesday.

Grifol will carry out his suspension Monday in the opener of a three-game set between the White Sox and New York Yankees in Chicago.

 

 

While the White Sox are out of the playoff picture, Ramirez's absence could hurt Cleveland's chances of reaching the postseason.

The Guardians enter Monday 4 1/2 games behind the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins, while the five-time All-Star third baseman leads the team in home runs (18), doubles (27), runs (67) and OPS (.861).

The incident that sparked all the discipline from MLB occurred in the sixth inning of the White Sox's 7-4 win at Cleveland on Saturday on a play that began innocently.

Ramirez slid headfirst into second base with an RBI double and Anderson stood over him, straddling Ramirez. Ramirez was reportedly upset at Anderson's late, hard tag and when he got up, he pointed his finger in the second baseman's face and yelled, prompting the two to square off like a boxing match.

Anderson dropped his glove and threw the first punch, setting off a melee that saw both dugouts empty onto the infield. While trying to be restrained by White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech, Ramirez swung blindly and connected with a right hand to the face of Anderson, who fell backward to the ground.

Anderson got back up incensed and tried unsuccessfully to get at Ramirez while being restrained by several teammates.

Tim Anderson and Jose Ramirez exchanged punches to trigger a benches-clearing brawl in the sixth inning of the Chicago White Sox’s 7-4 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday.

The fight began when Ramirez slid headfirst into second with an RBI double and Anderson stood over him, straddling Ramirez. When Ramirez got up, he pointed his finger in Anderson’s face and yelled, prompting the two to square off like a boxing match.

Anderson dropped his glove and threw the first punch, setting off a melee that saw both dugouts empty onto the infield. Ramirez appeared to connect with a right hand to the face of Anderson, who fell backward to the ground.

Anderson got back up incensed and tried unsuccessfully to get at Ramirez while being restrained by several teammates.

Tempers temporarily calmed before Guardians manger Terry Francona and Chicago manager Pedro Grifol had words, leading to pushing and shoving by players and coaches on both teams.

Anderson, Ramirez, Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and Grifol were all ejected. It took 15 minutes before order was restored after multiple flare-ups ensued.

Elvis Andrus hit a two-run homer, while Andrew Vaughn, Luis Robert Jr. and Oscar Colas had solo shots for the White Sox.

Chicago starter Michael Kopech carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings.

 

Verlander loses to begin second stint with Astros

Justin Verlander pitched seven innings but took a loss in his first start since being re-acquired by his old team, as the Houston Astros fell to the New York Yankees 3-1.

Verlander, who was traded by the New York Mets on Tuesday, began his second stint in Houston by allowing seven hits and two runs over seven innings while striking out four.

Jose Altuve hit his 200th career home run in the third inning, but the Astros managed just one other hit the rest of the game.

Nestor Cortes started his first game for the Yankees in over two months after recovering from a rotator cuff injury in his throwing shoulder.

Cortes allowed one run and one hit in four innings and fanned eight.

Jake Bauers provided the go-ahead RBI with a solo shot off Verlander in the fifth inning, and Gleyber Torres’ solo homer added an insurance run in the eighth.

 

Streaking Rangers rally past Marlins

Josh Jung hit the third of three multi-run homers for Texas in the middle innings and the Rangers erased a five-run deficit to beat the Miami Marlins 9-8 for their fifth straight victory.

Texas entered the bottom of the fourth down 5-0, but Adolis Garcia led off with a single and Jung singled before Robbie Grossman belted a three-run homer to right.

The Rangers took the lead for good with a four-run fifth, as Corey Seager’s homer scored Marcus Semien before Jung’s two-run blast made it 7-5.

Texas extended its lead in the AL West to 2 ½ games over the Astros, who lost to the Yankees.

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