Major League Baseball suspended Chicago White Sox pitcher Jimmy Cordero for three games and fined him an undisclosed amount for intentionally hitting Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs with a pitch Friday night.
Contreras hit a three-run home run in the third inning, and on his way to first base, apparently threw his bat too high for Cordero’s liking. Cordero plunked him on the arm in the seventh inning and was ejected. The Cubs beat the struggling White Sox 10-0.
Chris Young, senior vice president of baseball operations for MLB, announced the suspension on Saturday.
Also suspended and fined was White Sox manager Rick Renteria, who will serve his suspension Saturday when the two Chicago teams meet again. White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper also received an undisclosed fine.
Unless appealed, Cordero will begin his three-game suspension Saturday. An appeal will delay any discipline.
Cubs manager David Ross defended Contreras’ extended bat flip.
“It wasn’t to disrespect the other group. It was because we’ve been struggling offensively and he brought some swagger. He brought some edge. I loved every second of it,” Ross said. “I don’t think he deserved to get hit, at all.”
