Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson was the recipient of a three-game suspension and a fine from Major League Baseball on Saturday for making contact with home plate umpire Nick Mahrley on Friday night in a game against the Oakland A’s.
The incident in question happened in the seventh inning. Anderson struck out on a call that he disagreed with. While Anderson made his case to the umpire, he refused to let it go and Mahrley ejected him from the game. That’s when Anderson approached him, got up in his face, and seemed to brush up against the ump. Mahrley backed away but Anderson did not let up, getting right back in his face.
Tim Anderson was NOT happy with the call on the first-pitch strike 😲 pic.twitter.com/vXjdqbhhfM
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) July 30, 2022
That brought White Sox manager Tony La Russa out of the dugout to try and help the situation. La Russa ended up getting ejected as well.
Afterward, La Russa told reporters that he saw Mahrley moving forward toward Anderson, “which they’re taught not to do that.”
“I didn’t see any contact that I know,” he added.
The league’s suspension was scheduled to begin Saturday night, but since Anderson is exercising his appeal of the decision, the suspension is temporarily on hold until the process is complete. If it’s upheld, it would be Anderson’s second suspension of the season. He was hit with a one-game suspension in April after flipping the bird at the crowd in Cleveland. However, that was reduced to a fine on an appeal.
Anderson also started the year suspended after an incident at the end of the 2021 season.
