Four Royals appeal suspensions

CHICAGO -- The penalties handed down by Major League Baseball on Saturday for Thursday's bench-clearing altercation between the Royals and White Sox didn't draw much of a reaction inside the Royals' clubhouse when the players reported Sunday.

Perhaps they've simply grown accustomed to the process after two other on-field incidents earlier this month.

"That's what happens when you go out there and fight and do things," outfielder Lorenzo Cain said. "You have to pay the consequences. We'll see what happens. I appealed it, but we'll see what happens."

Cain, who received a two-game suspension, was one of four Royals to be suspended. Starting pitchers Yordano Ventura (seven games) and Edinson Volquez (five games) and reliever Kelvin Herrera (two games) were the others.

All four appealed the suspensions. Volquez started the regularly-scheduled game Sunday following the completion of Friday's suspended game. Herrera already was appealing a five-game suspension he received for a benches-clearing incident with the Athletics on April 18.

Only two White Sox players -- starters Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija, who each got five games -- were suspended. Cain was asked if he thought it was fair of MLB to come down harder on the Royals.

"We had a few guys throwing haymakers out there, so that's what happens," he said. "It is what it is. It shouldn't have escalated to that point in the first place. Once it gets to that point, it's up to them to decide on the suspensions."

Cain also said there's no lingering bad blood with the White Sox.

"I think it's over with," he said. "I think we all got our emotions out that night. I think it's over and done with. Right now, we're going to focus on getting back to playing baseball because winning ballgames, that's what we're here to do -- not to fight."

Manager Ned Yost had no comment other than to say he stood by his statement released by the team Saturday when he said: "We understand that Major League Baseball has to do what they think is fair in situations like this. Now, we just have to wait for the appeals process to play out."