Major League Baseball umpire Joe West has been suspended for one game without pay for grabbing the shirt of Philadelphia pitcher Jonathan Papelbon in a game on Sunday.
Papelbon was screaming in West's face in protest at being ejected from the contest against Miami when West seized a handful of his shirt and pushed him away.
West had just tossed Papelbon from the game after the pitcher grabbed his crotch in a gesture apparently directed at home fans who were booing him after he gave up four runs in the top of the ninth inning to relinquish a 4-1 lead in an eventual 5-4 loss to the Marlins.
"Joe West handled himself appropriately in ejecting Papelbon after the player's lewd gesture to the fans," said MLB executive vice president for baseball operations Joe Torre on Wednesday.
"I fully understand that Joe was reacting to a player who was acting aggressively, and can understand his frustration with the situation.
"However, Joe knows that an umpire cannot initiate physical contact with a player just as a player cannot initiate physical contact with an umpire.
"I spoke to Joe about the incident, and he admitted that there was a better way to handle the situation. I consider this matter closed."
On Monday, Papelbon was suspended seven games for his behaviour.
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