This all actually started a few weeks ago at Yankee Stadium when the Yankees hit Detroit's Mikie Mahtook twice in the same game, and Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer, with a little encouragement from Miguel Cabrera, retaliated by drilling Jacoby Ellsbury. Nothing else came of that. The Yankees saw it coming, Ellsbury took his base, and that was it.
Fast forward to Thursday. Who was pitching for Detroit? Michael Fulmer. An inning after Gary Sanchez hit his 15th home run of the series (it was only four, but you get the point), Fulmer plunked him. He did a good job of playing it off like it was unintentional (the trainer even came out to "check" on him), but it was pretty clear that he was throwing at him. Yet there was no warning.
Now we go to the bottom of the sixth and all hell breaks loose. Tommy Kahnle throws one behind Cabrera and is immediately ejected (which really set Joe Girardi, who was also tossed, off). Aroldis Chapman comes in to replace him and finishes his warmup pitches, but before he can throw a real one, Cabrera and Austin Romine get into a full-one brouhaha at home plate.
According to Cabrera, Romine was "acting tough," even though it's pretty clear Cabrera starting talking and Romine was doing his best to ignore him. Eventually, something was said that got Romine (whose brother plays for the Tigers, by the way) to take his mask off and say something back. Cabrera, who was already in Romine's face, was obviously ready to fight. Because the next thing he did was push Romine down and put his fists up. Once they were on the ground, Romine got in a couple of body blows, but Cabrera was the clear instigator of the incident.
Dellin Betances was ejected in the next inning for hitting a guy in the head, even though pretty much everyone agrees there was no intent there (you're not hitting a guy on purpose, especially in the head, in a 6-6 game). David Robertson hit the next guy, but that was clearly a pitch that got away and nothing came of it. Then a Tigers pitcher was thrown out in the eighth for hitting Todd Frazier with a pitch that he admitted was intentional. And that altercation, which started out as nothing, got a little more heated when Tigers manager Brad Ausmus evidently had some choice words for one of the Yankees players, which set Brett Gardner off.
There's plenty of blame to go around for what happened. Joe Girardi wasn't shy about his displeasure for the way the umpires handled the initial situation with Fulmer and Sanchez. He had a point. They should've known that history, and if they'd issued a warning after that first HBP, all of this could've been avoided. As it is, Joe Torre and Co. have a lot of work to do when it comes to fines and suspensions.
Cabrera started it all and will almost certainly receive the largest punishment. Which he should. I'm gonna say eight games, which might seem like a lot, but (1) everything that followed was a direct result of his actions and (2) he was clearly looking for a fight. Besides, after the inevitable appeal, he'll probably end up sitting something like five games.
The other Tigers in line for a suspension? If he did say "FU" to one of the Yankees players (it's clear from the video that he said it, but you can't necessarily see who it was directed towards), I think manager Brad Ausmus will get a game or two. And pitcher Alex Wilson pretty much guaranteed himself a suspension when he admitted he threw at Frazier. Let's say he gets three. The interesting one is Fulmer. Will he get anything for throwing at Sanchez? Even if he does, it'll make little impact, since he won't miss a start.
As for the Yankees, the suspensions are going to hit them much harder. Not only are they in the thick of the race while the Tigers are out of it, they're likely going to have multiple people suspended...including both of their catchers! Romine did his best at playing the innocent victim in all of this, but his ejection was warranted, and his suspension will be too. Cabrera may have started it, but Romine got some pretty good shots in. He's getting at least three games, probably more like five.
Gary Sanchez had every reason to be upset during the fight...especially seeing as him getting hit is what set the Yankees off. He easily could've been ejected, but the umpires didn't see him connecting on a few blows while Cabrera was on the ground (one of which hit Nick Castellanos). But since MLB will be watching the video over and over again and Sanchez will be certainly be given a few days off by the league, as well. The Yankees know that they're going to have to get creative with their roster and hope they can get the suspensions staggered (which they almost certainly will).
Other than the two catchers, I'm not entirely sure what other Yankees are in line for a few MLB-mandated days off. Of the pitchers, Kahnle seems to be the most likely recipient. He threw behind Cabrera. There's no two ways around that. I think common sense will prevail and Betances won't be suspended, especially since you could make the argument he shouldn't have been ejected. Girardi and bench coach Rob Thomson, who was also ejected while serving as acting manager, will probably only be fined.
Plenty of other guys could be fined for their roles, but I think we're looking at three suspensions apiece--Cabrera, Wilson and Ausmus for the Tigers, Romine, Sanchez and Kahnle for the Yankees. Although, they've got a lot of video to watch, so it wouldn't surprise me if they determine others were involved. And Justin Verlander really wanted to be. You know that the first chance he gets against the Yankees next season, he's gonna take it...and start the whole thing up again.
But the ripple effects of Thursday's fisticuffs will have a much bigger impact on the remainder of the Yankees' 2017 season than it does on Detroit. Miguel Cabrera doesn't care if he's suspended for a few games. The Tigers aren't going anywhere with or without him. But how long the Yankees are without Gary Sanchez (and whoever else) could definitely factor into whether they win the AL East, they're a wild card, or they miss the playoffs altogether. So, yeah, I'd say they were definitely the losers when all is said and done.
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