Ventura suspended 9 games for drilling Machado

Major League Baseball has suspended and fined Kansas City Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura nine games for throwing at Manny Machado.

The decision comes as the league also announced Machado's four-game ban and fine. Both players plan to appeal.

Given the timelines of the suspension, Ventura's ban seems harsher, but in reality, he'll miss one start while Machado misses four consecutive games, pending their appeals.

Ventura, who has a history of using his fastball as a method of retaliation on the mound, said Tuesday the 99-mph fastball to the ribs was an accident.

''Everybody knows what kind of player (Machado) is,'' Ventura told reporters at the time through an interpreter. ''One just got away and he came at me, and I have to defend myself at that point.''

He also added that he didn't believe he was deserving of a suspension, though the league didn't agree with him.