WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals suspended right-handed closer Jonathan Papelbon for four games on Monday after he had an altercation with outfielder teammate and MVP candidate Bryce Harper in the dugout.
Papelbon was suspended without pay by the team for his role in the fight that took place in the eighth inning of a 12-5 loss Sunday to the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park.
Harper was suspended one game with pay, Washington manager Matt Williams said before a makeup game in the regular-season home finale Monday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds.
In addition, Papelbon will serve his three-game suspension which was handed down by Major League Baseball last week after he hit Baltimore Orioles star Manny Machado with a pitch in a game Wednesday at Nationals Park. That three-game suspension began Monday and Papelbon is not allowed to be around the team for the MLB suspension.
Papelbon had appealed the MLB suspension and was thus eligible to pitch this past weekend against the Phillies. But now he will drop that appeal, according to Williams.
Williams said Papelbon is not expected to be with the Nationals on a season-ending road trip that begins Tuesday in Atlanta and concludes this weekend in New York against the division champion Mets. The Nationals entered Monday with seven games left on the schedule and thus the season is over for Papelbon.
Papelbon’s team suspension will begin Thursday. The fight with Harper made national news and came less than 24 hours after the Nationals had been eliminated from playoff contention.
“The behavior exhibited by Papelbon yesterday is not acceptable,” said Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo in a statement. “That is not at all in line with the way our players are expected to conduct themselves, and the Nationals organization will not tolerate it in any way.”
Williams, in his second year as manager, had not seen footage of the fight until after he met with the media after Sunday’s game. He sent Papelbon back out for the ninth inning after the pitcher grabbed the throat of Harper. Papelbon came on in the eighth and got the last out in a game that had no bearing on the playoff race.
“I was upset. I was appalled,” Williams said of when he saw the footage Sunday night. “It has been a very difficult 24 hours for the organization. We have to get past that. We have to fix it. We have to move forward.”
Williams said he spoke briefly with Harper before the Monday game but had not spoken with Papelbon.
Williams was asked why Harper was suspended.
“He played a part in it,” Williams said. “Because of the incident in the dugout. He said something to Jonathan. He played a part in the incident. This has been a very disappointing season. Everyone understands that.”
Washington won the NL East title last year but was knocked out of the playoffs by the San Francisco Giants. Many picked the Nationals to make the World Series this year but the team is 79-76 with seven games left.
Papelbon was acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies in late July as the Washington bullpen struggled. He took over the closer role from Drew Storen, a fan favorite who was moved to the setup role. Storen struggled in that role and after a loss against the Mets in early September, he hurt his hand in frustration and is out for the year.
The Nationals hold control over the contract of Papelbon for 2016.
“It is not the way we want to play our games,” Williams said of the closer’s future with the club. “We have to get past this.”
Harper is hitting .336 with 41 homers and 96 RBIs. Papelbon is 2-2, with a 3.04 ERA and seven saves since coming to Washington.
Harper took exception when Papelbon drilled Machado, another young star. Harper called the actions by Papelbon “tired” and felt he might get hit by a pitch by the Orioles on Thursday, though that never happened.
Instead Harper got hit Sunday — by his own teammate.