On Thursday it was reported that Texas Rangers relief pitcher Tanner Scheppers was attacked while grabbing food on a street in Cleveland, only a couple of blocks away from the team hotel.
In town to take on the Indians, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander told the team he was “attacked by several young males,” and “sucker-punched.”
“They said it happens a lot, actually,” Scheppers told the Dallas Morning News. “I’m just lucky nothing serious really happened. I’m good to pitch for [Saturday]. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I went down like a sack of potatoes.”
Donning a black eye and a couple of cuts to his face, Scheppers didn’t pitch on Friday as he was dealing with the effects of being jumped.
On Saturday afternoon, however, a different version of the story came to light. Reportedly, Scheppers, reliever Joe Nathan and catcher A.J. Pierzynski were all at Panini’s Bar in downtown Cleveland when Scheppers instigated the fight around 2:30 a.m., according to the Dallas Morning News. An unnamed source also told the Cleveland Scene that Scheppers “lost a bar fight. He had 10 chances to walk away before this happened.”
“The preliminary investigation reveals that on Friday, July 26, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Texas Ranger pitcher Tanner Scheppers was involved in a physical altercation at Panini’s Bar located on W. 6th Street,” Cleveland Police public information officer seargent Sammy Morris said in a statement. “Once on scene officers attempted to get information from Scheppers for a report however, he refused to provide information and refused to make a police report. Further, officers called for EMS and he refused medical attention and EMS was disregarded. The officers then conveyed Scheppers and another male to the Rangers’ team hotel.”
The Rangers will be investigating the matter further, according to a statement made by the team.
Photo via Facebook/Chip.Matthias
