Gary Sanchez's Suspension Cut to Three Games, Apologizes For Brawl vs. Tigers
New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez's four-game suspension for his role in an Aug. 24 brawl against the Detroit Tigers was cut down to three games, the league announced.
Sanchez will start his suspension on Monday and miss the three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.
In the game against the Tigers, tempers flared after Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle threw a pitch behind Miguel Cabrera in the sixth inning. Kahnle was ejected from the game but before play resumed, Cabrera and catcher Austin Romine were talking before a scuffle broke out. Sanchez joined his teammates on the field and landed punches on Cabrera and Nick Castellanos.
Sanchez posted the following statement on Facebook on Monday:
"I want to apologize for my actions during the last Detroit Tigers series. The heat of the moment and my desire to protect my teammates led me to commit some errors during the brawl. It's an incident I regret and from which I have learned. I know to some these may be mere words, but they are words that I feel the need to express because I sincerely feel this way, and for respect to you, the fans, the Yankees organization, the Detroit Tigers and the game of Baseball."
Sanchez is hitting .276 on the year with 28 home runs and 79 RBIs.
