Tim Anderson Was Suspended for Alleged Racially Charged Language in Royals Dustup
By Liam McKeone
Today, MLB announced suspensions for the players involved in yesterday’s White Sox-Royals bench-clearing incident, which saw White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson get hit by Royals starter Brad Keller after Anderson hit a home run and flipped his bat. Keller received five games for his role in the incident, while Anderson received one game.
Initially, there was an uproar that Anderson had been suspended for, essentially, flipping his bat, which has been the foundation of MLB’s marketing campaign. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Anderson was not suspended for his role in initiating the conflict, but rather his behavior during it, which includes the use of racially charged language.
When MLB investigated the benches-clearing incident between the White Sox and Royals, umpires and players from both teams said Tim Anderson used a racially charged word, sources tell ESPN. Anderson received a one-game suspension from the incident, per sources.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 19, 2019
A clarification: White Sox players were not asked specifically about Tim Anderson's use of the word that led to his ejection, per source, but umpires said that it was uttered within earshot of both teams.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 19, 2019
Passan later tweeted exactly what it was that got Anderson suspended.
During the benches-clearing incident, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson called Royals pitcher Brad Keller a "weak-ass f---ing n-word," sources tell ESPN. Anderson, who was hit by a Keller pitch one at-bat after he hit a home run and flipped his bat, was suspended for one game.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 19, 2019