MLB fined Justin Turner an undisclosed amount and levied a one-game suspension for making contact with home-plate umpire Rob Drake following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ loss to the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Turner is appealing his suspension and remains eligible to play Tuesday. The discipline issued will be held in abeyance until the process is complete.
Turner was called out on strikes, though was unaware until the Petco Park crowd erupted to celebrate the Padres’ win. Turner at that point turned toward Drake to argue the call and the two came chest-to-chest.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts rushed out of the dugout and he and Turner continued to have words with Drake, who twice stopped before walking off the field.
Turner explained after the loss his frustration stemmed from Drake informing him the pitch from Padres closer Kirby Yates was down the middle. Turner also believed it was Drake who initiated physical contact between the two.
In addition to Turner, A.J. Pollock, Chris Taylor, Dustin May and Will Smith all seemed to take issue with the strike zone in the series opener. So too did Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer.
Monday’s incident is the second run-in Turner has had with an umpire this season. In June, he was ejected by home-plate umpire Chad Fairchild over a belief Turner was arguing balls and strikes from the dugout at Dodger Stadium.
Turner later explained he was ejected after waving and saying, ‘Hi’ to Fairchild when he looked into the dugout. The ejection was Turner’s fourth of his career and first since September 2017.
Coincidentally, that was also a result of Fairchild throwing him out of a game at Dodger Stadium.
That also stemmed over a disagreement on balls and strikes, and review of the call supported Turner’s stance. He didn’t back off disagreeing with the called strike but expressed regret over getting ejected that night.
