The Tigers have suspended Minor League pitcher Warwick Saupold for five games for his role in a fight that occurred outside a Toledo, Ohio, bar early last Sunday morning. Saupold, who made his Major League debut with Detroit earlier this year, is currently with Triple-A Toledo, which only has five games remaining on its regular-season schedule.
"Upon reviewing the details and accounts of an incident involving Warwick Saupold that took place last weekend in Toledo, the ballclub has issued Saupold a five-game suspension," the club said in a statement released on Thursday. "The Detroit Tigers organization does not condone his actions and hold all personnel to a higher standard. Moving forward, the Tigers will have no further comment on this matter."
According to documents provided by the Toledo Municipal Court and Toledo Police Department, Saupold was arrested and charged with assault after the incident, which also involved Pirates Minor Leaguers Gift Ngoepe and Dovydas Neverauskas. Pittsburgh's Triple-A Indianapolis affiliate was in town to play Toledo at the time. Both Ngoepe and Neverauskas also were arrested, and Pittsburgh issued them seven-day suspensions.
The Tigers signed Saupold as an amateur free agent out of Australia in 2012, and the 26-year-old right-hander made his big league debut on May 14. He has made six relief appearances in the Majors this season, while appearing 18 times (11 starts) for Toledo.