HEADLINE

Royals RHP Keller drops appeal of suspension

Field Level Media

April 24, 2019 at 12:15 am.

Kansas City Royals right-hander Brad Keller dropped his appeal of a five-game suspension and began serving the penalty on Tuesday.

Keller will be eligible for reinstatement on Monday, when he is scheduled to make his next start against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays.

Keller was suspended after he drilled Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson with a pitch to his backside in the fourth inning of a game last Wednesday.

Anderson had homered off Keller two innings earlier and vividly flipped his bat into the air before beginning to run around the bases. The beaning of Anderson led to both benches clearing.

Keller, who was fined an undisclosed amount, said he wants to move on with the situation.

“It’s over with and I didn’t want to wait around (any longer),” Keller told reporters before the Royals’ Tuesday road game against Tampa Bay. “I figured I would just drop it now and serve the suspension and move on.”

Keller started against the Rays on Monday and took the loss as Kansas City fell 6-3. He gave up season highs of five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

The 23-year-old is 2-2 with a 3.41 ERA in six starts this season.

Anderson and Chicago manager Rick Renteria were suspended one game apiece for their parts in the incident.