Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor received an eight game suspension from MLB on Tuesday for punching Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista on Sunday during a confrontation at second base in their game at Arlington.
Also suspended was Blue Jays manager John Gibbons who was ejected earlier in the game Sunday but returned to the field. Gibbons will be suspended three games. Odor was also fined $5,000 and plans to appeal.
The bad blood between the two teams started in last seasons American League Division Series when Bautista did a bat flip after hitting a game winning homerun.
Bautista had reached first base when Texas pitcher Matt Bush plunked the Blue Jays slugger in the ribs with a pitch. Bautista then slid hard into the legs of Odor at second base during a double play ball. Odor immediately jumped up and pushed Bautista and then punched him in the face. It took 10 minutes to restore order after the bench clearing brawl. Toronto reliever Jesse Chavez hit Prince Fielder with the next pitch once the game resumed and benches did empty once again but no punches were thrown.
The teams are not scheduled to face one another for the rest of the regular season. It should be very interesting when the two teams do meet again down the road.
