Royals starter Yordano Ventura has received a nine-game suspension for hitting Orioles third baseman Manny Machado with a pitch as well as his involvement in an ensuing altercation, Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball reports. Ventura will appeal the suspension, per MASN’s Roch Kubatko.
The disparity in punishment between Ventura and Machado likely has to do with Ventura being a pitcher, so a nine-game suspension will ultimately mean one missed start. Effectively, Ventura’s punishment isn’t as harsh.
Ventura might put the time off to good use. He’s carrying a 5.32 ERA with a 44/35 K/BB ratio in 65 innings.