ANAHEIM – Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado was suspended five games and fined Tuesday for hurling his bat during a weekend series against the A’s.
Machado threw his bat in the direction of third base after the second of two inside pitches from Oakland’s Fernando Abad in the eighth inning of Sunday’s game. That capped a weekend in which Machado also got into a heated argument with A’s third baseman Josh Donaldson and angered the A’s by twice hitting catcher Derek Norris with his backswing.
Abad, who was ejected Sunday along with Machado, also received a fine. Neither amount was disclosed.
Machado issued an apology to the A’s, to Norris, and his own teammates and fans Monday. Norris and A’s manager Bob Melvin both commended Machado for doing so, but there also was a feeling in Oakland’s clubhouse that Machado’s future actions will speak louder than his words.
