The Toronto Blue Jays will be without reliever Genesis Cabrera after an on-field incident against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
Cabrera shoved Rays’ infielder Jose Caballero after the two argued at third base. It appears that the incident was sparked after Cabrera caught Caballero after a hot pursuit to third base. The two exchanged some words before Cabrera caught the infielder with a high shove to the face.
TEMPERS ARE HOT AT THE TROP 🍿 pic.twitter.com/PA0pmzpxGb
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 30, 2024
The MLB announced this morning that Cabrera would be suspended for three games as a result of the shove. This is the first suspension of the 2024 season for the Blue Jays. According to The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath, Cabrera is expected to appeal the suspension and will remain on the Jays’ roster.
Along with the suspension, the 27-year-old reliever was also fined an undisclosed amount.
MLB announces that #BlueJays reliever Génesis Cabrera has received a three game suspension for his on-field altercation yesterday against the Rays. Cabrera plans to appeal the suspension so he’ll remain on the roster for now
— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) March 31, 2024
Cabrera is in his sixth MLB season and second with the Blue Jays. He was traded to Toronto from the St. Louis Cardinals last July. In 23.2 innings pitched with the Jays last season, Cabrera recorded 20 strikeouts and had a 2.66 ERA.
It doesn’t appear that any other suspensions will be coming out of the altercation.
The incident may remind Toronto fans of another infamous on-field altercation that got physical. Back in 2016 in a game between the Blue Jays and Texas Rangers, slugger Jose Bautista got punched by second-baseman Rougned Odor after he took issue with the Blue Jays slide.
Both Bautista and Odor were suspended for this particular incident.
Losing Cabrera will be a bit of a tough pill to swallow for the Jays, who are off to a 1-2 start to the season. The team already has pitchers Erik Swanson and Jordan Romano on the IR as well as Alek Manoah.
We’ll see if the team can turn things around today as they take on the Tampa Bay Rays in the finale of a four-game series to start the season. First pitch is set for 1:40 pm EST.