Indians’ Abreu suspended 3 games for hitting Seattle batter, manager Eric Wedge gets 1 game

Indians’ Abreu suspended 3 games, Wedge out 1 game

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge and pitcher Winston Abreu were suspended and fined Monday after the reliever plunked a Seattle hitter over the weekend.

Abreu received a three-game ban less than a month after he was traded to the Indians, and Wedge was suspended for one game. Bench coach Jeff Datz ran the team for the opener of a three-game series at the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

Abreu decided not to appeal the suspension, even though he was surprised by the decision.

“Three days can be a little hard on us, but there’s nothing I can do,” said Abreu, who was acquired from Tampa Bay on July 2. “I didn’t try to hit nobody. I was just trying to throw inside, like every pitcher does. I was just doing my thing. A lot of pitchers throw inside, but not to hit the batter. The umpire warned me. I know the other guy hit one of my teammates on purpose. Everybody could see that.”

Abreu plunked Jack Hannahan on the shoulder during the ninth inning of the Indians’ 10-3 win at Seattle on Saturday night and was promptly thrown out by plate umpire Dale Scott. Wedge was ejected for arguing the ejection, referring to it later as a “knee-jerk reaction.”

“Obviously, what happened happened, and it’s part of the game,” Wedge said Monday. “They have rules pretty much set in place, regarding what they do after a warning is given, so it just comes with the territory. We’re obviously playing one guy short, but we haven’t used Winston a great deal. And with what our starters have done the last week or so, that helps us.”

Abreu’s pitch came after Chris Jakubauskas drilled Ben Francisco following Asdrubal Cabrera’s two-run homer in the fifth inning. Francisco shouted at Jakubauskas and Mariners catcher Rob Johnson held him back as both benches and bullpens emptied. Umpires then warned both dugouts.

Major League Baseball also fined Jakubauskas.