Mets’ Buck Showalter suspended for Braves opener after Phillies incident
Buck Showalter was not in the dugout Monday night when the Mets kicked off a big series against the Braves.
Shortly before first pitch, MLB announced it had suspended Showalter for one game and fined him an undisclosed amount for Yoan Lopez throwing at Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber on Sunday night. The league deemed the pitches “intentional,” leading to the discipline that also included Lopez being fined and suspended for three games.
Bench coach Glenn Sherlock, who filled in for Showalter, said they found out about the manager’s suspension about 40-45 minutes before the game.
“We were surprised,” Sherlock said.
Lopez, who was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, threw inside to Schwarber in the ninth inning before hitting Alec Bohm with a changeup. The sequence came after Phillies pitcher Christopher Sanchez plunked Francisco Lindor in the bottom of the eighth.
Showalter has been vocal about his displeasure with the Mets getting hit by pitches plenty this season — an MLB-high 20 times entering Monday. The veteran manager also missed a game earlier this season to undergo a medical procedure.
It marked the second time this season Lopez has been disciplined by MLB for almost hitting a batter. The right-hander also got fined after throwing up-and-in to Nolan Arenado last week, which led to the benches clearing against the Cardinals. Lindor and Eduardo Escobar ultimately teamed up to pay the fine for Lopez.
Chris Bassitt had to bear down in the fifth inning after thinking he had a 1-2-3 frame — only for his two-out, 2-2 pitch to Dansby Swanson to be called a ball. Bassitt began striding off the mound until he found out the at-bat was still going. He went on to walk Swanson, then hit Ronald Acuña Jr. with a pitch.
But after Bassitt got Matt Olson to pop out to end the threat, home plate umpire Chad Fairchild patted his chest as if to say, “My bad.”
Bassitt also apologized for “showing you up.”
“I think umpires have one of the hardest jobs in the world and I have no issue if an umpire misses a call,” Bassitt said. “That happens. But especially when an umpire accepts that, what am I going to say?”
Brandon Nimmo robbed Acuña of extra bases to end the seventh inning, racing back to the warning track to make a leaping catch at the wall.
After giving the Mets a strong temporary replacement for the injured Taijuan Walker, David Peterson will be called up to make another cameo Tuesday in the doubleheader against the Braves.
“‘Pete’ deserved to stay here,” Showalter said before Monday’s game. “He didn’t do anything . So, glad to get him back.”
In 14 innings, Peterson has given up just one run on nine hits and five walks while striking out 10.