Major League Baseball has suspended Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Chris Devenski for three games and manager Don Kelly for one game following an incident on Saturday where Devenski allegedly threw a pitch at Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart during a 17-7 Pirates victory. Both suspensions also include undisclosed fines. The league determined Devenski intentionally threw at Stewart after the rookie had a pitch go inside, causing him to lose his helmet and voice his displeasure.
Suspension Details Emerge
Devenski, who recently had his contract selected from Triple-A Indianapolis on April 29, maintained he was merely attempting to throw inside for a strike and did not intentionally target Stewart. His three-game ban and Kelly's one-game suspension were announced on Tuesday. The incident occurred in the seventh inning of Saturday's game. Following the play, Devenski was removed from the game.
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Background and Player History
This marks one of Devenski's earlier appearances for the Pirates since his promotion. In his limited time with the club, he has allowed two earned runs over 2 1/3 innings. While Stewart expressed frustration after the pitch, Reds manager Terry Francona reportedly did not perceive any existing animosity between Stewart and the Pirates prior to the event.
The league's decision to suspend is based on an assessment that Devenski's pitch was indeed intentional, a stance Devenski disputes. He claims his intention was simply to work inside with a sinker. Devenski has had a varied career path leading up to this point, with past stints involving teams like the Mets and Rays, and periods on injured lists.
