Milwaukee reliever Abner Uribe received a six-game suspension, while starter Freddy Peralta got a five-game suspension on Wednesday for their involvement in a brawl during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rays outfielder Jose Siri initially faced a three-game suspension, later reduced to two, and Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy received a two-game suspension from Mike Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for on-field operations. All four also received fines.
Murphy began serving his suspension on Wednesday, with associate manager Rickie Weeks leading the team against the Rays.
Uribe and Peralta appealed their suspensions to MLB special assistant John McHale Jr., and their discipline remains pending until the appeal is resolved. Uribe was later sent down to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.
Siri withdrew his appeal as part of an agreement that reduced his penalty to two games. He served the first game as the Rays lost 7-1 on Wednesday.
MLB cited Peralta for deliberately throwing at Siri, while Murphy was cited for Peralta’s actions and for “inappropriate conduct towards umpires.” Uribe faced discipline for instigating a benches-clearing incident, and Siri for his behavior during the incident.
Before Wednesday’s game, Siri showed a bruise on his left leg. He got hit by a 3-0 fastball from Peralta in Tuesday’s game, which led to Peralta and Murphy being ejected.
There had been tension between Siri and the Brewers since he stared at his solo home run off Peralta in the third inning.
After Siri grounded out in the eighth inning against Uribe, they exchanged words near first base. Uribe then threw a punch at Siri, who swung back at him. Milwaukee first baseman Rhys Hoskins tried to stop the fight and got knocked down as both teams’ players rushed onto the field.
Siri wasn’t in the starting lineup on Wednesday but said he planned to get treatment and be available later in the game.
“He threw the first punch. I don’t think I did anything wrong,” Siri said. “I expect him to get suspended. I might get a game or two too.” Siri said he wasn’t sure why Uribe attacked him.
“When I was in the on-deck circle and he was warming up, I felt like he kept looking at me, so I had a feeling,” Siri said. “When I got to first base, I confirmed he had an issue with me.” Uribe reflected on the situation after Tuesday’s game.
“I think there were some words exchanged that weren’t really about the game, and they probably shouldn’t have been said in that moment,” he said through an interpreter. Siri emphasized on Wednesday that he doesn’t have any issue with Peralta.
“I never had a problem with Peralta. Never did,” he said. “He hit me, and I just went to first base.”
Siri said celebrations by pitchers and batters are normal in the game but insisted he wasn’t trying to show up Peralta. “I don’t think I did anything wrong. I stood there. I didn’t look at it. I put my head down and just ran,” he said.
Murphy had been ejected from the Brewers’ previous two games. He was thrown out of a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday after arguing with a decision that prevented the Brewers from scoring the tying run in the ninth inning.
