Sources: Oakland A's OF Ramon Laureano sees suspension cut to 4 games
Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano's suspension for charging at the Houston Astros' bench was reduced from six games to four on Friday, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Laureano will drop his appeal, and his suspension will start Friday night and go through Monday. He won't miss any in-division games.
Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron was the target of Laureano's ire. The A's outfielder said Cintron used a vile comment that invoked Laureano's mother.
After being hit by a pitch for the third time in the series and second time in the game, Laureano pantomimed toward pitcher Humberto Castellanos how to properly snap off a slider, prompting a response from the Astros' bench. Laureano said that Cintron uttered an expletive at him, which Laureano returned. Then, Laureano told Passan, Cintron "said in Spanish something you don't say about my mother."
Following the exchange of words, Cintron, as shown on replays, stepped out of the first-base dugout and motioned for Laureano to come at him. Laureano ran toward Cintron, who stayed behind Astros players as Laureano was tackled and the benches for both teams emptied.
Cintron received a 20-game suspension. He said in a statement released that he accepted the suspension and "will learn from this," but he denied referencing Laureano's mother. He acknowledged his "actions were inappropriate."
Laureano, 26, said he wishes he had chosen not to run toward the Astros' dugout. "I regret charging [Cintron] because he's a loser," Laureano told Passan on Monday. "[A suspension] is understandable, but I hope it's not that many games.
"At the end of the day, I'm here to win a World Series with the Oakland Athletics -- this wonderful group of guys. I don't want to be a distraction. Obviously, I am right now."
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