Washington Nationals pitcher Jorge López has been suspended for three games and fined by Major League Baseball for throwing a high pitch near Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen's head during Wednesday night's game. López was ejected after the incident in the seventh inning, following a pitch that forced McCutchen to fall to the ground to avoid being hit.
López had hit the previous batter, Bryan Reynolds, with a pitch before facing McCutchen, whose safety was jeopardized by the 92 mph pitch. The right-hander has appealed the suspension, delaying its enforcement until the appeal process is completed. Nationals manager Dave Martinez was also fined and received a one-game suspension due to the altercation.
The incident led to a brief clearing of the benches as umpires reviewed the situation. McCutchen and López were involved in a heated argument, with Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham also seen engaging in a verbal exchange. Washington (7-11) wrapped up its series against Pittsburgh (7-12) on Thursday afternoon.