MLB hits Pham with 3-game ban for fantasy slap

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Tommy Pham on Saturday stated he agreed to a three-game suspension for slapping San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson within the cheek over a fantasy soccer dispute previous to Friday’s sport.

MLB stated Pham was suspended for “inappropriate conduct” and was additionally fined. The suspension was retroactive to Friday and runs by means of Sunday, when the Reds’ sequence with the Giants concludes in Cincinnati.

On Friday, Pham had confronted and smacked Pederson whereas the Giants warmed up within the outfield. The pair needed to be separated.

Pham on Saturday stated the dispute stemmed from an previous textual content despatched by Pederson to the fantasy league’s group chat by which Pham says Pederson disrespected his teammates on the San Diego Padres, for whom he performed final season.

“I slapped Joc,” Pham instructed reporters Saturday. “He stated some s— I do not condone. I needed to deal with it.

“… It was relating to my former staff [Padres]. I did not like that and I did not just like the sketchy s— occurring within the fantasy. We had an excessive amount of cash on the road, so I have a look at it like there is a code. You are f—ing with my cash, then you are going to say some disrespectful s—; there is a code to this.”

Pederson declined remark Saturday.

Reds supervisor David Bell stated he talked to Pham about what occurred, however declined to share what he stated.

“I simply wish to make sure that we’re able to play a baseball sport at the moment,” Giants supervisor Gabe Kapler stated. “Joc has dealt with it very properly. We will at all times discuss being non-reactionary. He was in a position to handle every part that occurred.”

On Friday, Pederson stated he was accused of dishonest for putting a participant on injured reserve and changing him with a free agent in a fantasy soccer league. Pederson stated the participant he placed on IR had been dominated out for that week, which made it a authorized transfer. He stated Pham had executed primarily the identical maneuver along with his personal staff.

Pederson stated he had no advance discover that Pham may confront him through the sequence in Cincinnati.

“It was a shock,” Pederson instructed reporters on Friday. “There was no actual argument. He form of got here up and stated, ‘Like, I do not know in the event you bear in mind from final yr.’ And I used to be like, ‘Fantasy soccer.’ He was like, ‘Yeah.’”

Pham threatened violence to settle an on-field rating with San Diego’s Luke Voit in April, difficult the slugger to a combat after Voit injured Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson with a tough, ugly slide into residence.

The Related Press contributed to this report.