Mike Wright and Tony La Russa were suspended on Saturday for an incident on Thursday where Shohei Ohtani was hit by a pitch.
Ohtani was batting in the ninth inning of his Los Angeles Angels’ 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. Wright missed badly on a few offerings, including one pitch near Ohtani, before plunking the Angels slugger in the leg.
White Sox reliever Mike Wright Jr. was ejected in the 9th inning after hitting Shohei Ohtani with a pitch.
Tony La Russa was also ejected soon after.
(via @Jack_A_Harris)pic.twitter.com/mg6ayTDfyw
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 16, 2021
The umpires may have felt that Ohtani was hit intentionally, possibly as retaliation for Luis Robert and Jose Abreu being hit by the Angels. La Russa said it was just a mistake by Wright, who was wild.
Tony La Russa said Mike Wright Jr. did not intentionally throw at Shohei Ohtani and objected to the umpire’s reasoning that Sox were retaliating to Luis Robert and José Abreu getting hit earlier
“They made a mistake. It’s upsetting. It looks bad for our pitcher, our team and me"
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) September 16, 2021
MLB didn’t seem to buy it. They handed Wright a 3-game suspension and La Russa a 1-game suspension. Wright is appealing.
