Tim Anderson of White Sox has suspension for José Ramírez fight reduced to five games

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson will serve a five-game suspension for fighting Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez Aug. 5. 

The suspension, initially six games, was reduced by one game following an appeal by Anderson. 

“White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has reached a settlement regarding the discipline issued on August 7th,” MLB communications posted to X, formerly Twitter. “He will now serve a five-game suspension that will begin on Friday, when Chicago plays at Colorado.” 

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Chicago begins a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies Friday before welcoming the Seattle Mariners to Chicago for a three-game set. 

Anderson will be eligible to return Aug. 23 against the Mariners. 

The suspension for Ramírez was also reduced after appeal, with the five-time All-Star getting a two-game ban. Ramírez served his suspension last weekend against the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Guardians manager Terry Francona, White Sox manager Pedro Grifol and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh also received one-game suspensions for the benches-clearing brawl. 

The fight occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning in Cleveland when Ramírez slid into second base underneath Anderson’s legs. The two exchanged words before they squared up. After Anderson threw multiple punches, Ramírez dropped Anderson with a wild swing.

“I felt I was able to land one,” Ramírez said after the game through a translator. 

“He’s been disrespecting the game for a while,” Ramírez added. “When he does something like that on the bases, he can get somebody out of the game. So, I was telling him to stop doing that. After he tapped me really hard, more than needed, he said he wanted to fight. And I had to defend myself.”

Anderson, a career .282 hitter, has struggled at the plate during the 2023 MLB season, hitting just .238 on the year. 

The White Sox are 48-73 and sit 14½ games behind the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central.