ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Houston Astros pitcher Mike Fiers has been suspended five games for throwing a fastball over the head of Los Angeles Angels infielder Luis Valbuena in an act of retaliation.
Major League Baseball also fined Fiers an undisclosed amount. Fiers is not appealing, so the penalty starts in Thursday night’s game between the AL West-leading Astros and playoff-contending Angels.
On Wednesday, Valbuena homered to cap a five-run first inning off Fiers. It was Valbuena’s 20th home run of the season, and the ex-Astros player celebrated with a big bat flip.
The next time Valbuena came up, Fiers threw a pitch at least 2 feet over his head that sailed to the backstop. Plate umpire Cory Blaser warned both benches.
After the game, Fiers said he took Valbuena’s bat flip as “disrespect.”
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