The punishment has been set for a benches-clearing brawl in the middle of a pandemic.
MLB announced Tuesday that A's outfielder Ramón Laureano has been suspended six games for charging after Houston Astros hitting coach Alex Cintrón in Oakland's 7-2 win Sunday. Cintrón was suspended 20 games, believed to be a record for an MLB coach, for provoking Laureano.
Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle was first to report the length of Laureano's ban; USA Today's Bob Nightengale was first on Cintrón's.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
While Cintrón's suspension will begin immediately, Laureano is appealing his ban and will be eligible to play for the A's until the appeals process is over.
Laureano, after being hit by a pitch for the second time Sunday and third time in Oakland's series against Houston, charged into the Astros' dugout when Cintrón invited him to do so.
Cintrón reportedly insulted Laureano's mother, and A's manager Bob Melvin blamed the hitting coach for provoking the outfielder.
“I think the league will know who it is, and that person should get suspended,” Melvin told reporters after the game. “Hopefully that’s the case, and nowadays without fans in the stands, and mics everywhere, my guess is they know who he is.”
Oakland Athletics
[RELATED: Why Astros analyst blames Laureano for Coliseum kerfuffle]
No other Astros players or coaches were ejected Sunday. Laureano and A's catcher Austin Allen were tossed, but both Cintrón and former A's catcher Dustin Garneau -- who tackled Laureano when the outfielder charged the dugout -- remained in the game Sunday.
Laureano has been one of the A's best players this season. He's batting .263 with three homers in 2020, but Oakland's outfield depth should help the A's throw out a strong lineup without him.