Rays' Uceta suspended for incident vs. Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Edwin Uceta was suspended and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Wednesday for intentionally throwing at Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos on Tuesday, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Uceta was originally suspended three games but had it dropped down to two after an appeal, per Topkin, and he'll begin serving it Wednesday.
Rays manager Kevin Cash received a one-game suspension, which he'll serve Wednesday. Cash's suspension is automatic.
Uceta drilled Castellanos in the back with a fastball after allowing three runs during his eighth-inning relief appearance. Both benches and bullpens immediately cleared as an angry Castellanos barked at the pitcher. Uceta and Cash were ejected after the fracas died down.
"I just told him that was bullshit," a livid Castellanos said of the incident postgame. "You're throwing a baseball over 90 mph, and you're frustrated, and you're gonna throw at somebody? That's like my 2-year-old throwing a fit because I take away his dessert before he's finished."
Uceta owns a 1.49 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 25 relief appearances for the Rays this year. The 26-year-old is in his fourth big-league season and first with Tampa Bay.