Mets manager Buck Showalter was suspended for Monday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, and he didn’t find out until the game was less than an hour away.
The suspension was due to MLB deeming that Yoan Lopez (who was suspended for three games and is currently with Triple-A Syracuse) threw intentionally at Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night,
“I found out about 6:20-ish,” Showalter told reporters before Tuesday’s doubleheader. “Billy (Eppler) came in. I thought he was kidding. What are you gonna do?”
Showalter said the reasoning from the league when doling out the suspension “was all based on the umpires report after the fact,” and that his phone call to the league about it served as his appeal.
“Trying to create an environment, and have to walk in the locker room at 6:25 and say ‘go get ’em.’ And then go down and tell the coaches they have to change everything,” Showalter said about the fallout on Monday. “I don’t know competitively speaking if the timing was fair to the New York Mets.”
Asked about the precedent the league could be setting by fining and suspending Mets while not doing anything about any of the pitchers who have hit them with pitches this season, Showalter said it was “strange.”
“He did hit somebody with a changeup, but that really wasn’t what I was suspended for,” Showalter said about Lopez. “It’s hard to judge intent, and I don’t know what’s being said to them behind the scenes by some other group, don’t really care. I’m worried about the game today.
“We’ve moved on from St. Louis. It’s funny, we’re the guys that have been hit and we’re the ones getting punished. Think about it. Strange. Believe me, I have some personal, private thoughts about it. It probably doesn’t do anybody any good to air it.”
As far as Lopez, since he was suspended by the league after being sent down to the minors, he would have to serve his three-game suspension upon his return to the majors.
And Showalter said that could have an impact on when/if the Mets call Lopez up.
“You’d have to think about it,” Showalter said. “How can you call up somebody that can’t pitch?”