Two Cardinals suspended, two Mets fined for roles in benches-clearing incident
The Cardinals' Nolan Arenado scuffles with Mets catcher Tomas Nido as home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak, center, watches during the eighth inning of a game Wednesday in St. Louis. Credit: AP/Jeff Roberson
No Mets were suspended following their benches-clearing episode with the Cardinals on Wednesday, but reliever Yoan Lopez was fined an undisclosed amount for “contributing to the incitement of the incident,” MLB announced Thursday.
Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado was suspended two games, reliever Genesis Cabrera one game. Both were fined.
Arenado was penalized for “contributing to the incitement of the incident,” MLB said. He charged the mound after Lopez’s fastball — his first pitch with the Mets — came up and in on him to begin the bottom of the eighth. Cabrera, who was in the dugout, inserted himself into the fracas and tackled Pete Alonso.
The Mets’ Taijuan Walker and the Cardinals’ Jack Flaherty were fined for participating while on the injured list.
Cardinals first-base coach Stubby Clapp, who also tackled Alonso from behind, was not punished.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
