Jose Iglesias Suspended for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
San Diego Padres infielder Jose Iglesias has been suspended for one game and fined for unsportsmanlike conduct towards the umpires, MLB announced. The sanction came after the last game of the wild card playoffs series against the Chicago Cubs. Xander Bogaerts, also an infielder, was fined an undisclosed amount due to his behavior during the post-game interaction following the last out at Wrigley Field on October 2, where the Padres were eliminated from the postseason. Following the 3-1 defeat against the Cubs, the Padres engaged in a heated exchange with the umpiring crew as they left the field. The video of the confrontation went viral on social media. Home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn called a third strike on Bogaerts in the ninth inning, on a ball that appeared to be outside the zone. Bogaerts, visibly upset, argued with Reyburn, while manager Mike Shildt intervened to defend his player. After the game ended, the umpires had to descend the steps of the visiting dugout to leave the field. Reyburn exchanged words with Bogaerts and Iglesias, who reacted angrily. It is not clear who started the discussion.MLB will implement an automated ball-strike challenge (ABS) system next season. Iglesias will be a free agent this winter and could appeal his suspension. The Padres, with 90 wins, reached the postseason for the fourth time in six seasons, but failed to win a playoff series for the first time in that period.“He ruined the whole game, you know?” Bogaerts said about Reyburn’s decision. “We can’t go back in time, and talking about it now won’t change anything. It was bad, and thank God for the ABS next year, because it’s terrible.”
Xander Bogaerts
