Anderson (6 games), Ramírez (3) among six suspended for fracas

CLEVELAND -- The Guardians were without their manager and closer on Monday night for the series opener against the Blue Jays.

A combined eight members of the Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago White Sox have received discipline for their roles in the benches-clearing on-field incident that occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning of Saturday night’s game at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. Michael Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for on-field operations, made the announcement Monday:

• White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has received a six-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for fighting.
• Guardians third baseman José Ramírez has received a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for fighting.
• Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase has received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine.
• White Sox manager Pedro Grifol and Guardians manager Terry Francona have each received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine.
• Guardians third base coach Mike Sarbaugh has received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine.
• In addition, White Sox pitcher Michael Kopech and Guardians outfielder Gabriel Arias have each received an undisclosed fine.

“When something like that happens, you know there’s gonna be a price to be paid,” Francona said. “I think you always have your side of the story. But there are two sides to things, so he has to listen to both.”

The suspensions of Anderson and Ramírez were scheduled to become effective on Monday, with the Guardians hosting the Blue Jays and the White Sox hosting the Yankees. However, both Anderson and Ramírez have elected to appeal. Thus, the discipline issued to them will be held in abeyance until that process is complete.

“[Ramírez is] going to appeal,” Francona said. “My hope is that he can always lower it because he’s such a good player. They seemed to me to be extremely conscientious in what they were doing at least when I talked to him, which isn’t surprising. When you’re the home team, you want your guys to get none and you want them to get 20. That’s probably not the way it’s gonna work or is supposed to.”

Clase has elected not to appeal and was to serve his discipline Monday. Grifol and Francona must serve their respective suspensions Monday, while Sarbaugh will serve his suspension on Tuesday.

“A lot of [jawing] going on and I can't really pinpoint what it was, but just one comment kind of got me going and it just happened,” Sarbaugh said. “I don't know what else to say. It's just one of those things that you're initially trying to calm things down and then I guess I kind of escalated a little bit more.”