Giants' Strickland will serve 6-game suspension after appeal denied

San Francisco Giants reliever Hunter Strickland will begin serving a six-game suspension Monday for his involvement in a brawl with Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper.

Major League Baseball denied his appeal Monday, according to Mercury News' Andrew Baggarly.

The brawl in question occurred on May 29, with suspensions initially announced the following day. Harper was suspended four games, which was reduced to three on appeal, while Strickland received a six-game ban that stuck.

Strickland's response was obvious disappointment, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea.

"You always hope for less for the team's sake," Strickland said. "Ultimately, that's their decision.

"I've just got to take the consequences and let this pass on and get ready to come back and play ball."

Strickland had an appeal hearing on June 13, more than two weeks after the skirmish, and the lengthy process had already irked Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

Since the fight, Strickland has appeared in nine games, posting a 3.24 ERA with a trio of holds. He will miss the four-game series against the Atlanta Braves beginning Monday night, as well as the first two games of a three-game series against the New York Mets this coming weekend.

Strickland will be eligible to return on June 25 in the series finale against the Mets at AT&T Park.