Mets reliever Jacob Rhame was suspended Thursday for two games and fined an undisclosed amount by MLB for what it said was "intentionally throwing a pitch in the area of the head of Rhys Hoskins" earlier this week (per MLB.com).
If Rhame doesn’t appeal, the suspension would begin Friday when the Mets are scheduled to host the Brewers. But the New York Post reported, via an unidentified industry source, that the Mets are expecting Rhame to appeal.
MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre announced the suspension, ruling on Rhame's pitches late in Tuesday’s game at Citi Field.
With two outs in the ninth inning of a 9-0 Mets win, Rhame sailed two pitches over Hoskins' head only a day after two Mets were hit by pitches. Hoskins later said Mets catcher Wilson Ramos insisted they were trying to go inside.
Rhame's suspension was because of the first pitch that sailed over Hoskins' head, ESPN.com reported, citing unidentified sources. That pitch resulted in both teams being warned. There was no discipline for his second pitch that drew Hoskins' anger.
Hoskins got revenge Wednesday, hitting a two-run homer off Rhame and taking 34.23 seconds to round the bases, clearly a jab at the Mets and Rhame in a 6-0 Phillies win.
Lovely night for a stroll ...
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) April 25, 2019
Wouldn't you say, @rhyshoskins? pic.twitter.com/cNw8i88uey
Rhame downplayed the trot after the game.
"He got me," he said Hoskins. "If I make a better pitch, he doesn't get to run the bases."
A week earlier in Philadelphia, the Mets' Ramos was hit by reliever Hector Neris during a pinch-hitting appearance with first base open in the ninth inning. This week, Phillies pitchers hit three Mets at Citi Field.
