Mets suspend Harvey for violating team rules; Wilk to start

By CHARLES O'BRIEN
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) – The New York Mets have scratched Matt Harvey for his scheduled start Sunday against the Miami Marlins and suspended the right-hander three days for a violation of team rules.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson would not disclose Harvey's violation, saying only that his suspension was effective Saturday and that he had been sent home.

Left-hander Adam Wilk was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to start in Harvey's place.

Pirates CF Starling Marte suspended 80 games for PEDs

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marte has received an 80-game suspension without pay after testing positive for Nandrolone, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The suspension of Marte is effective immediately.

"The Pittsburgh Pirates fully support MLB's Joint Drug Agreement, including the very tough penalties for violations of its prohibitions," The Pirates said in a statement today. "We are disappointed that Starling put himself, his teammates and the organization in this position. We will continue to fight for the division title with the men who are here and will look forward to getting Starling back after the All-Star break."

Marte was batting .241/.288/.370 with two home runs, two steals and seven RBIs in 13 games this year. He hit .311/.362/.456 with nine homers, 46 RBIs and 47 steals last season.

Marte tied his career high (10th time) with four hits on 4/9; also recorded his fourth career walkoff home run. He has started each of the first 13 games in center field. He leads all Major League outfielders with 36 assists since 2015; his three this year also lead the Majors.

The Pirates recalled INF/OF Jose Osuna from Triple-A Indianapolis as a corresponding move. He will be available for the team's game in St. Louis tonight.

Report: Mets pitcher Jeurys Familia suspended 15 games

New York Mets pitcher Jeurys Familia has been suspended 15 games for violating baseball’s domestic-violence policy, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthan reported Wednesday.

For Familia, a suspension of 31 or more games would have delayed free agency by a year. He remains on track to hit the open market after the 2018 season.

Sources said that Familia will forfeit 18 days of pay, including off-days, and a rainout could increase that number slightly. He will lose more than $700K.

Familia had already has done 12 90-minute sessions of counseling, and had agreed to make contribution to charity, plus in-person appearances at MLB rookie programs in the United States and the Dominican Republic, and also made an appearance before a New York-based domestic-violence group.

Former top draft pick Phil Bickford suspended 50 games

NEW YORK (AP) -- Milwaukee right-hander Phil Bickford, the 18th overall pick in baseball's 2015 amateur draft, has been suspended for the first 50 games of next season following a second positive test for a drug of abuse under the sport's minor league drug program.

Bickford, 21, is on the roster of Milwaukee's Class A Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League. He signed with the San Francisco for a $2,333,800 bonus and was traded at this year's Aug. 1 deadline to the Brewers along with catcher Andrew Susac for left-hander Will Smith.

Bickford was 7-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 22 starts and one relief appearance for three Class A teams this year, striking out 135 in 120 innings. He pitched in the All-Star Futures Game in San Diego.

In addition, Toronto right-hander Pedro Loficial was suspended for 72 games following a positive test for metabolites of Stanozolol and Miami outfielder Casey Soltis was banned 50 games following a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

Loficial, 21, was 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three relief appearances and 6 2/3 innings for the Dominican Summer League Blue Jays.

The 21-year-old Soltis, a fifth-round pick in 2014, hit .190 this year in 52 games at Class A Greensboro of the South-Atlantic League.

Major League Baseball announced the discipline Friday. There have been 95 suspensions this year under the minor league drug program and 13 under the major league program.

Blue Jays Minor Leaguer Montero suspended

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that Toronto Blue Jays Minor League first baseman Jesus Montero has received a 50-game suspension without pay after testing positive for dimethylbutylamine (DMBA), a stimulant in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. 

The suspension of Montero, who is currently on the roster of Triple-A Buffalo of the International League, will be effective at the beginning of next season.

Braves pitcher Jose Ramirez suspended, but appeals

Atlanta Braves pitcher Jose Ramirez received a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine on Friday for intentionally throwing a pitch in the head area of batter Jose Fernandez of the Miami Marlins in the top of the seventh inning of Wednesday night's game at Turner Field. Joe Garagiola Jr., Senior Vice President of Standards & On-Field Operations for Major League Baseball, made the announcement.

Ramirez's suspension was scheduled to begin last night, when the Braves opened a home series against Washington. However, he has elected to file an appeal. Thus, the discipline issued to Ramirez will be held in abeyance until the process is complete.

Padres GM Preller suspended without pay for 30 days for Pomeranz trade

Major League Baseball has completed an investigation into the July 14th transaction in which pitcher Drew Pomeranz was traded from the San Diego Padres to the Boston Red Sox. MLB's Department of Investigations conducted the thorough review, which included interviews with relevant individuals from both Clubs. The findings were submitted to Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr.

As a result of this matter, Major League Baseball announced two days ago on Thursday that A.J. Preller, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Padres, had received a 30-day suspension without pay.

MLB considers the matter closed and will have no further comment.

Today, 28 days remain on Preller's suspension.

White Sox suspend top pitcher Chris Sale for 5 days

By the Associated Press.

CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago White Sox were set to wear throwback uniforms. Chris Sale had other ideas.

The White Sox suspended their ace five days without pay for destroying collared throwback uniforms the team was scheduled to wear.

The team announced the punishment on Sunday after Sale was scratched from his scheduled start and sent home the previous night.

The suspension comes to $250,000 of his $9.15 million salary. He was also fined about $12,700 - the cost of the destroyed jerseys - according to a person familiar with the penalty. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because no statements were authorized.

"Obviously we're all extremely disappointed that we have to deal with this issue at this time both from the standpoint of the club as well as Chris' perspective," general manager Rick Hahn said. "It's unfortunate that it has become this level of an issue and potential distraction taking away from what we're trying to accomplish on the field."

Sale was not expected at the ballpark on Sunday. He is eligible to return Thursday against the crosstown Cubs at Wrigley Field, though Hahn would not say if the left-hander would start that game.

The Major League Baseball Players Association declined comment, spokesman Greg Bouris said. Sale could ask the union to file a grievance.

FanRag Sports first reported Sale was protesting the 1976-style jerseys, which were navy and sported unusual collars on a hot and humid night.

Sale then cut up an unknown number of jerseys before the game and was told to leave the stadium. With not enough usable 1976 jerseys available, the White Sox wore white throwback uniforms from the 1983 season.

The incident comes with the White Sox in a tailspin after a 23-10 start and Sale's name circulating in trade rumors.

"The actions or behaviors of the last 24 hours does not change in any aspect, any respect, our belief that Chris Sale can help this club win a championship and win multiple championships," Hahn said. "It does not move the needle one iota in terms of his value to this club, his value to any other club that may be interested in his services or the likelihood of him being moved or kept whatsoever. None of that stuff is impacted at all by these events."

The incident does raise some questions in general about throwback uniforms, how players feel about them and whether they should be forced to wear jerseys that aren't comfortable - particularly starting pitchers.

"If I'm playing with Chris Sale I want him to pitch," Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said. "If he wants to play with no shirt, we play with no shirt. I just want him to pitch."

New York Yankees pitcher Chasen Shreve said: "Pitchers like their stuff. Me, it doesn't bother me, but for him, obviously it does. It's crazy. I don't think I'm that bad."

White Sox pitcher James Shields wouldn't comment on whether players should be made to wear throwback jerseys. But he did say: "I don't really mind the throwbacks. I haven't had any issues with that."

Manager Robin Ventura said players occasionally wearing uniforms they don't like comes with the job.

"But you wear it," he said. "If you want to rip it after, you can rip it up after. I've seen guys rip it up after."

Hahn said throwback uniforms the White Sox wore last season were a bit baggy so the team took measurements in spring training so they would fit the players better. He also mentioned the money the uniforms generate.

"Part of the element of being in position to win a championship is the revenue side of the operation and respect for their reasonable requests to increase revenue," Hahn said.

This wasn't the first flare-up involving the 27-year-old Sale, who is known for his competitive streak and strict training regimen.

He was openly critical of team executive Ken Williams during spring training when he said Drake LaRoche, the son of teammate Adam LaRoche, would no longer be allowed in the clubhouse. Adam LaRoche retired as a result, and Sale hung the LaRoches' jerseys in his locker.

He was also suspended five games by Major League Baseball last season for his role in a brawl at Kansas City that started with a flare-up between teammate Adam Eaton and the Royals' Yordano Ventura. Sale went to the Royals clubhouse after he got tossed and was seen pounding on the door.

Hahn said the punishment was unrelated to previous incidents. He also said the two had a "very candid" meeting in his office with Sale after the pitcher had some exchanges with staff members in the clubhouse and that both "expressed remorse." They spoke again on Sunday.

"At that point last night Chris stood by his actions," Hahn said. "Part of what makes Chris great, part of what makes him elite, is his passion and commitment. We've seen that sometimes spill out from between the white lines. Yesterday was one of those instances and it unfortunately led to events that required discipline."

Free agent Stanley suspended

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced yesterday that free agent catcher Cody Stanley has received a 162-game suspension without pay after testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

In 2012 he was suspended 50 minor league games for a failed test. Then in September 2015 he was suspended 80 major league games. 

The Major League Baseball Players Association released a state on behalf of Stanley.

“I will never apologize for something I didn’t do. We will not stop searching for why all of this has happened.”

Stanley is currently a free agent after the Cardinals didn’t tender him a contract.