Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon has been suspended seven games and fined an undisclosed amount for making an obscene gesture towards fans on Sunday, Major League Baseball announced. He will begin serving the suspension immediately. 
Papelbon, 33, allowed four runs to blow a 4-1 lead against the Marlins on Sunday. As you can see above, he grabbed his crotch in reaction to fans booing him as he walked off the field. Home plate umpire Joe West ejected Papelbon for the gesture.
The Phillies released the following statement about the suspension:
Papelbon, 33, allowed four runs to blow a 4-1 lead against the Marlins on Sunday. As you can see above, he grabbed his crotch in reaction to fans booing him as he walked off the field. Home plate umpire Joe West ejected Papelbon for the gesture.
The Phillies released the following statement about the suspension:
"The Phillies fully support the decision of the Commissioner's Office, which has exclusive jurisdiction for on-field player behavior. By Major League Baseball rules, the Phillies have no authority to make official judgments about activity which occurs on the field or to determine the appropriate penalty for misconduct. We apologize to our fans for the actions of our player yesterday.”In 64 appearances this year, Papelbon is 37-for-41 in save chances with a 2.10 ERA in 64 1/3 innings. He's made it no secret that is unhappy with the team's status as a non-contender and the Phillies have been shopping him in trades since the offseason.Mike Axisa/CBS Sports
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
