Ian Gibaut appeared to intentionally throw at San Diego Padres slugger Manny Machado on Monday night, and Major League Baseball has suspended the Texas Rangers pitcher for the act.
MLB announced on Tuesday that Gibaut has been suspended three games for throwing behind Machado following Fernando Tatis Jr.’s grand slam. Rangers manager Chris Woodward was also suspended for one game. Gibaut will appeal his ban while Woodward will serve his on Wednesday night.
The Rangers were upset after Tatis Jr. belted a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch with the Padres leading 10-3 in the eighth inning. Gibaut then threw behind Machado in what clearly looked like an attempt to send a message.
Rangers pitcher Ian Gibaut threw behind Manny Machado right after Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch with the Padres leading by seven runs last night. pic.twitter.com/2eajDXt3UK
— ESPN (@espn) August 18, 2020
Tatis Jr. was criticized for violating baseball’s “unwritten rules.” Woodward said after the game that he didn’t like Tatis Jr. swinging in that situation, and the manager doubled down on those remarks in a radio interview on Tuesday.
