Boston Red Sox starter Brandon Workman was suspended six games Tuesday for throwing behind Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria in the sixth inning of Friday’s game at Fenway Park. The news was received differently in the two clubhouses.
David Ortiz vehemently disagreed with Major League Baseball’s decision to suspend Workman but not Rays starter David Price, who plunked two batters, including Big Papi, during Friday’s heated contest. Rays manager Joe Maddon, on the other hand, called the discipline handed down to Workman “appropriate.”
“In regard to the suspension of Workman, that is not my responsibility to make that judgment,” Maddon told reporters in Miami. “Apparently they saw something in the video that indicated that they needed to act in the manner that they did.”
Workman’s pitch to Longoria — which the right-hander said slipped out of his hand because of the rain — came after Price drilled Ortiz in the first inning and Mike Carp in the fourth inning. Warnings were issued after Ortiz got hit and the benches emptied after Price struck Carp on the forearm with a pitch located up and in. The Rays ace was never ejected.
Ortiz, who tried to go after Price when the benches cleared, blasted the lefty immediately following Friday’s game. He once again ripped Price and the league’s handling of the situation Tuesday before the Red Sox faced the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.
Maddon was unwilling to trade barbs.
“Papi and I have had a pretty good relationship in the past,” Maddon said. “Sometimes commentary oversteps and overreaches.
“I’d like to believe if he had more of an opportunity to think about it, he would respond differently. For us, it’s a dead issue. I want us to move it along and just play baseball.”
The Red Sox and Rays next face each other July 25 at Tropicana Field.
