Cardinals’ Willson Contreras banned after throwing bat during argument with umpire | St Louis Cardinals

Major League Baseball has suspended St Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras for six games after he threw his bat while arguing with umpires on Monday night.

Contreras’ bat hit his own coach, and the player also spiked his batting helmet and threw a bucket of bubble gum from the dugout on to the field.

The incident came in the seventh inning of Cardinals’ 7-6 home win over Pittsburgh when Contreras went down on three pitches and was caught looking on strike three.

Contreras was ejected after arguing with home plate umpire Derek Thomas, and his outburst continued as Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and hitting coach Brant Brown held him back from the umpire. After throwing his helmet to the ground, Contreras tossed his bat behind him, hitting Brown in the arm. He finished it off with the bubble gum toss. Marmol was also ejected during the sequence.

Contreras said he didn’t understand why he was thrown out of the game. He said he argued balls and strikes but didn’t address a specific pitch and didn’t say anything disrespectful.

“Apparently, he heard something [he thought] I said. I did not say that,” Contreras said.

Crew chief Jordan Baker told a reporter that Contreras and Marmol were ejected for “saying vulgar stuff” to Thomas. Baker added that Contreras made contact with Thomas.

MLB also fined Contreras an undisclosed amount. He is appealing his suspension, which otherwise would have begun on Tuesday against the Pirates.

Contreras, 33, is batting .261 with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs in 121 games this year for the sub-.500 Cardinals, who are trying to stay in the National League wildcard race. Contreras was a three-time All-Star during his seven-year stint with the Chicago Cubs and is a career .258 batter with 171 homers and 540 RBIs.