Jonathan Papelbon drops appeal of suspension for hitting Machado

Washington Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon will drop his appeal of the three-game suspension he received for throwing at Orioles SS Manny Machado.

Washington Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon will drop his appeal of the three-game suspension he received for throwing at Orioles shortstop Manny Machado, the team announced in a press release Monday.

Papelbon was suspended on Friday and fined an undisclosed amount for hitting Machado with a pitch near the head. He was immediately ejected from the game.

The news of Papelbon dropping his appeal comes a day after he and teammate Bryce Harper got into a physical altercation in the dugout. The Nationals announced they would suspend Papelbon four games without pay for the incident, 

Papelbon will begin serving the MLB suspension Monday, when the Nationals host the Reds. His team suspension will begin Thursday and last for the remainder of the season.

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- Kenny Ducey