Cardinals' Contreras suspended 6 games for umpire altercation

St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras was suspended six games and received an undisclosed fine for an altercation with umpire Derek Thomas during Monday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, MLB announced Tuesday.

Contreras appeared to make contact with Thomas during the incident, which resulted in him throwing his bat toward Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown before he tossed a bucket of gum onto the field.

"Apparently, he (Thomas) heard something (he thought) I said. I did not say that," Contreras said, according to The Associated Press.

Umpire crew chief Jordan Baker said Contreras and Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol were ejected Monday for "saying vulgar stuff" to Thomas.

Baker added that Contreras made contact with Thomas.

Contreras will appeal the suspension and is eligible to continue playing until a decision is made. He's in Tuesday's lineup against the Pirates.