SEATTLE -- In the aftermath of a benches-clearing incident the night prior, Mariners reliever Gabe Speier received a three-game suspension from MLB before Thursday’s series finale vs. the Tigers.
Additionally, manager Dan Wilson received a one-game suspension -- which he served on Thursday. Both also received an undisclosed fine.
Speier and Wilson were ejected from Seattle’s 4-2 win over Detroit, and MLB’s announcement on Thursday was as a result of Speier “intentional throwing” at Detroit’s Gleyber Torres.
Speier, however, has elected to appeal, and his discipline will be held in abeyance until that process is complete. Managers cannot appeal, so Wilson served the first suspension of his career -- as a player or manager -- with bench coach Manny Acta taking his place.
“It is what the rule is, and not that I agree, but that's where we are,” Wilson said.
The sanction came after Speier hit Torres with a 96.3 mph fastball in his left leg during the eighth inning. It was the second straight heater that the lefty threw inside to Detroit’s second baseman.
And it came a half-inning after Cal Raleigh was hit by a 94.7 mph fastball in his left ribs area from Tigers reliever Enmanuel De Jesus.
That one was in a 1-2 count to lead off the bottom of the seventh -- and it was after Mariners starter Bryan Woo hit three Tigers batters over his seven shutout innings.
“These things tend to bring guys together,” Wilson said. “It tends to cultivate intensity, and I think it was a great example of that last night.”
Wednesday night’s incident came two months after a contentious series in Detroit that included a hit-by-pitch to Josh Naylor, who took a 96 mph fastball from Keider Montero off his back. Naylor had collided with Kevin McGonigle at first base to open that series, then seemingly tossed his sliding mitt at catcher Dillon Dingler on his way into home plate the next day. Naylor slid hard into second base after that hit-by-pitch.
Both Naylor and Raleigh were out of Thursday’s lineup vs. Tigers lefty Framber Valdez, who in that series hit J.P. Crawford on his right hand, leading to an eventual stint on the injured list.
But neither were injury-related, Wilson said, and rather, a standard day off. Each was available off the bench.
Brendan Donovan was out of the lineup, in an as-expected measure to build in rest upon his return from a nine-week absence on the injured list with a left groin strain.
The shuffle led to Jhonny Pereda making his first start at catcher since returning and in the wake of the club parting ways with veteran Mitch Garver, Leo Rivas at third base and Weston Wilson at first base.