CLEVELAND – Tim Anderson didn't play on Sunday for the Chicago White Sox, who gave their starting shortstop a planned day off.
He could soon have many more.
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Anderson is likely facing a multigame suspension for his fight with Cleveland's José Ramírez on Saturday night, their scuffle setting off a benches-clearing brawl between AL Central rivals who won't face each other again until next season.
Major League Baseball did not announced any discipline as the team teams met in their series finale. The White Sox rallied for three runs in the ninth inning of a 5-3 victory.
The teams expect to hear from MLB on Monday and are bracing to be without their star infielders for an extended period.
In the sixth inning on Saturday night, Anderson and Ramírez threw punches at second base, and the Guardians' All-Star third baseman knocked down Anderson with a lucky overhand right to the chin. Anderson was dazed by the blow.
Both players were ejected, along with Cleveland manager Terry Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, closer Emmanuel Clase and Chicago manager Pedro Grifol.
Before Sunday's game, Grifol said Anderson didn't get hurt in the mele and that his day of rest had been scheduled for the 30-year-old.
“He's OK,” Grifol said of Anderson. “He was going to get a day off today. It might not look that way, but it is what it is.”
Grifol refused to discuss specifics of the altercations or possible upcoming punishment. He also avoided characterizing Anderson's actions.
“I'm not going to get into that,” he said. “I've had my conversations with Tim, but I'm not going to get into anything that happened last night. I'll let MLB take care of all that stuff but I'm not going to talk about the fight.”
Anderson has been suspended twice previously.
In 2019, he received a one-game ban for his actions during a bench-clearing incident against Kansas City, which had thrown at Anderson after he flipped his bat following a home run.
Last season, Anderson got a one-game suspension after he flashed the middle finger at a fan in Cleveland.
The Anderson-Ramírez fight began innocently enough.
When Ramírez slid headfirst into second base with an RBI double in the sixth inning, Anderson was straddling over the top of him. Ramírez later said he felt Anderson's tag was too hard and indicated he had been bothered by Chicago's star for “disrespecting” the game.
Anderson dropped his glove and squared off against Ramírez, who swung wildly and connected to drop Anderson to the ground. As both benches and bullpens emptied, Anderson tried in vain to get at Ramírez before being forced into Chicago’s dugout.
Anderson reappeared on the field and tried to get at Ramírez before Chicago first baseman Andrew Vaughn wrapped him in a bear hug and physically carried him off the field.
On Friday, Anderson angered the Guardians by pushing Cleveland rookie Brayan Rocchio off the base as he slid into second, leading to a contested call that wound up being overturned by replay. Also, Anderson was warned by an umpire on Saturday for jawing at Guardians rookie Gabriel Arias.
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