Nationals Pitcher Suspended for Throwing at Pirates' Andrew McCutchen
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PITTSBURGH — The MLB has dealt out a suspension following a benches clearing incident between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals at PNC Park.
Nationals right-handed pitcher Jorge Lopez faced Pirates right fielder Andrew McCutchen in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Lopez, on a 1-1 count, threw a pitch that rose up and in, forcing McCutchen to dive to the ground to avoid the ball hitting his face.
While the umpire crew decided on a warning or an ejection for Lopez, McCutchen and Lopez both shouted words at each other, which saw both benches clear.
Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz held back McCutchen and then had to hold back left fielder Tommy Pham, both of who didn't care for that pitch from Lopez.
Tommy Pham was ready https://t.co/rTjjmioyu8 pic.twitter.com/PZVDK8ESfH
— Platinum Ke’Bryan (@PlatinumKey13) April 17, 2025
This was also the following at-bat after Lopez hit Pirates designated hitter Bryan Reynolds.
The umpire crew then ejected Lopez following this and the Nationals brought in right-handed pitcher Eduardo Salazar.
Salazar walked McCutchen on the next two pitches and then Cruz hit a grandslam on the next at-bat, putting the Pirates up 6-0, helping them secure the win.
The MLB chose to suspend Lopez for three games for throwing at McCutchen, which Lopez is appealing, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Nationals manager Dave Martinez will also serve a one-game suspension for the series finale.
McCutchen and Lopez had prior history, with McCutchen hitting a solo shot off Lopez when he was pitching for the Chicago Cubs.
Reynolds would also hit a three-run home run off Lopez in that same inning, igniting a comeback in the eighth inning for a 5-3 victory at Wrigley Field on Sept. 2, 2024.
McCutchen said after the game that he didn't think Lopez tried to hit him, but that the situation that occurred caused tempers to flare.
“I don’t think it matters if it was or if it wasn’t," McCutchen said. "It’s just the fact of the nature of the situation. I never try to say, I can’t speak for the other person, but, yeah so just the nature of the situation. Take it as it is. Even if wasn’t on purpose, which I don’t really think it was, I think it was the height of the moment got to him maybe. It got away from him, similar to Mitch [Keller], but praise God for quick reflexes.”
This was almost the second straight game that featured a dangerous hit by pitch, as Pirates right-handed pitcher Mitch Keller hit Nationals third baseman Paul DeJong in the face, which took DeJong out of the game.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton didn't like that this pitch came right after Lopez hit Reynolds and praised the umpires for their handle on the incident. He also said that if this was revenge for Keller hitting DeJong, that was never intentional.
“Exactly that. It was way too close to his head. Bryan [Reynolds] had got hit two pitches before and then we go above Cutch’s head? Not a fan of that. I think the umpires did really good job of, really good job of controlling it, knowing the situation.
“I mean if this stems from something that happened yesterday, Mitch [Keller] did not try to hit Paul DeJong in the face in a 1-0 game. It was totally accidental. So if this was retribution for that, then it’s just lack of awareness.”
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.