SAN DIEGO — San Diego Padres star Manny Machado denied he made contact with plate umpire Bill Welke after being ejected for arguing a called third strike Saturday night and said he’ll appeal his one-game suspension and fine.
“I’ve just never seen anyone get suspended for arguing balls and strikes, so we’ll see what happens,” Machado said before Monday night’s game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
MLB said the punishment, imposed by chief baseball officer Joe Torre, was for “aggressively arguing and making contact” with Welke.
Asked if he made contact, Machado said: “Not that I believe — so, no — but everyone has their own right to write what they want. We have our case, and we’re going to wait to see what the appeal comes back with. We always have the right to argue balls and strikes and give our opinion on it.
“You could see the video. I mean, I was right the whole way. There’s video for it.”
The third baseman had two hits and scored twice before being ejected by Welke in the fifth inning Saturday night after a called third strike.
Asked if Welke indicated at the time that there was contact, Machado said: “He pointed, but I was way too into the zone on letting him hear what I had to say on what I thought about the whole call. I didn’t touch him. I didn’t think I touched him. Video says it all. … I think we’ve got a good case. I don’t think anyone’s ever gotten suspended a game for arguing balls and strikes. I think that’s a little too much, a little unjustified, but there’s a process to this, and we’re going to go through it.”
The 26-year-old Machado is batting .261 with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs for the Padres after signing a $300 million, 10-year contract in spring training.