DENVER -- Giants third baseman Matt Chapman has received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for pushing Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland during Tuesday’s benches-clearing incident at Coors Field, Major League Baseball announced Wednesday.
Chapman’s suspension was scheduled to take place during Wednesday’s series finale between the Giants and Rockies, but the five-time Gold Glover elected to appeal, meaning his discipline will be delayed until the process is complete.
“We didn’t feel like we started it,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said prior to Wednesday’s game. “It is what it is. We’ll deal with it going forward. We’ll see what happens in the appeal.”
Freeland and Giants veterans Willy Adames and Rafael Devers were also fined for their roles in the fracas. Tempers flared between the National League West foes after Freeland felt Devers took too long admiring his two-run blast in the first inning of the Giants’ 7-4 win on Tuesday. Freeland and Devers exchanged words before the benches cleared, leading to ejections for Freeland, Adames and Chapman.
Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer, noting that the incident occurred eight pitches into the game, said Freeland will start Friday night’s opener of a three-game series against the Padres.
After the game, Schaeffer said of Freeland being thrown out in the first inning, “that hurts the ballclub.” On Wednesday, Schaeffer commended the attitude his pitcher showed.
"[Devers] watched [his homer] for a while longer than Kyle liked. Kyle took offense to it, felt disrespected ... I back him 100% on that,” Schaeffer said. “I will always back Kyle.
“It can go either way. In today’s game, a lot of people think let the kids play. But it goes out the window when you have a competitor who takes offense to something happening, especially in his own ballpark.”
Schaeffer also said the Rockies -- whose defeat on Tuesday secured them their third straight season of at least 100 losses -- showed moxie by running into the fracas.
"I like fire,” he said. “I always like fire. In general, our team shows fire. But Kyle is a guy that definitely brings that every fifth day when he’s out there. He’s not the only one, but he’s usually the ringleader in that group.”
Antonio Senzatela, a starter who has been assigned to the bullpen, was pressed into 4 2/3 innings in relief and didn’t give up a run until Casey Schmitt homered on his final pitch. Senzatela, like Schaeffer, could appreciate Freeland’s fire.
"I was surprised a little bit,” Senzatela said. “But he didn’t do anything wrong.”