ARLINGTON -- Major League Baseball reduced Yankees catcher Austin Romine's suspension stemming from the benches-clearing incidents on Aug. 24 in Detroit to one game.
Romine served the suspension Friday as his team played the Rangers.
"Waiting for it to play out," Romine said. "They came out with one, and now I'm looking forward to moving on, not having anything looming over your head."
Romine was originally given a two-game suspension resulting from three separate benches-clearing incidents in a 10-6 loss to the Tigers. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez was also among the five players suspended: His four-game suspension was reduced to three games, and he was back in the lineup against the Rangers on Friday.
"It's really good to have him back," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Sanchez. "Austin Romine did a really good job in his absence, which he's done all season long. You hope he's not rusty. You want him to pick up right where he left off, and really -- you think about it -- the three or four days off of rest might help him down the stretch here as we get late into September, and could re-energize him, get him hot again."
It's fortunate that Sanchez was able to return, since without him available, the Yankees would've had to turn to Erik Kratz, who hasn't had a Major League at-bat this year, behind the plate. But Romine is able to serve his one game without the Yankees' offense missing a beat, and he'll be back on Saturday.
"The rules state that if you throw a punch, you're going to get in trouble," Romine said. "I threw some punches -- in self-defense, I still believe in that -- but like I said before, I don't have any feelings either way. It's the process, and I've just got to serve my game and move on."