Major League Baseball

Suspensions Levied For Dodgers-Astros Drama

Updated Jul. 29, 2020 6:39 p.m. ET

The first game between the Dodgers and Astros since Houston was punished for sign-stealing predictably resulted in fireworks — and now, suspensions.

Benches emptied after Dodgers righty Joe Kelly and Houston’s Carlos Correa shared a heated exchange Tuesday night.

Astros, Dodgers benches clear as Joe Kelly and Carlos Correa go at it

Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly struck out Carlos Correa to end the sixth inning, stranding two Astros in scoring position. Kelly and Correa exchanged words afterward and the benches cleared as the teams hurled insults toward one another near home plate.

Kelly stuck his tongue out and made a pouty face after striking out Correa, who ended up on his backside earlier in the at-bat after a wild pitch.

Correa wasn’t the first Astros batter that Kelly nearly plunked, either. Alex Bregman had to duck out of the way of a 3-0, 96-mph fastball earlier in the sixth inning.

Frustrations peaked after the inning ended and benches cleared, but no punches were thrown.

On Wednesday, MLB suspended Kelly for 8 games, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suspended for one game as well.

According to reports, Roberts will serve his suspension for Wednesday's game against the Astros. Kelly is appealing his punishment. Astros manager Dusty Baker, meanwhile, was fined an undisclosed amount.

After the punishment was announced, Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman gave his thoughts:

Following the game, which LA won 5-2, Baker was particularly upset with the Bregman pitch:

“When you throw a 3-0 fastball over a guy’s head, now you’re flirting with ending his career.”

Kelly proclaimed his innocence after the game, saying he didn’t throw at the Astros on purpose and joking about his poor accuracy.

Tuesday’s clash was the first time the Dodgers and Astros had squared off since Houston was punished for stealing signs in 2017. They won the World Series that year, beating the Dodgers in seven games.

In January, MLB concluded that "most of the position players" on the 2017 Astros either received sign information or participated in the sign-stealing scheme, which relied on using video and banging on a trash can to relay signs.

As a result, the league fined the organization $5 million, stripped them of draft picks and suspended then-GM Jeff Luhnow and then-manager AJ Hinch.

In February, Dodgers outfielder reacted to the punishments and apologies in an all-time rant, accusing Jose Altuve of stealing the 2017 MVP award from New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and a World Series ring from the Dodgers.