Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson had his six-game suspension reduced by a game after a settlement with MLB, and he will begin serving his discipline Friday when he sits out of a road contest against the Colorado Rockies.
Anderson, 30, continued to play on appeal of the punishment, but the settlement negates the need for a hearing with the league office. He will miss the three games in Denver and also the first two games of a home series next week against the Seattle Mariners.
Anderson’s suspension was the result of a fight on Aug. 5 with the Cleveland Guardians’ Jose Ramirez. An original three-game suspension for Ramirez also was reduced by one game, and he served that two-game ban this past weekend.
Ramirez said he objected to a hard tag by Anderson and the two began to argue in a confrontation that came to blows. Ramirez threw a wild right hand that connected on Anderson’s chin, knocking him to the ground. Anderson did not play the following day at Cleveland.
Guardians manager Terry Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh and closer Emmanuel Clase all were suspended one game. White Sox manager Pedro Grifol also was banned for one game.
An All-Star in each of the previous two seasons, Anderson has struggled this season, batting .238 with one home run and 21 RBIs in 92 games. He had double-digit home runs every season from 2017-21 and won the American League batting title in 2019.
–Field Level Media