Philadelphia Phillies Relief Pitcher Jonathan Papelbon was not having a good day. Papelbon gave up four runs in the top of the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins, thereby blowing his fourth save of the year. In the end, the Phillies lost the game 5-4.
As Papelbon was pulled and walking to the dugout, the inadequate reliever pulled at his crotch. Papelbon denied that he did anything as an umpire approached him to eject him.
The video seems to show a deliberative gesture as he approached the home dugout, which either was directed towards the booing hometown crowd or Papelbon's bench. Later, the reliever blurted out: "I mean this is baseball. I had to make an adjustment and I did it."
The MLB Commissioner suspended Papelbon for seven games and fined him an unknown amount for his bad sign. This may relieve Papelbon from embarrassing himself for the rest of the season.
Next season, the 33 year old Papelbon will be in the last year of a four year $50 million contract with the Phillies. Papelbon has made no secret that he is unhappy being for a losing team. Could this rude gesture force the Phillies hand and mean that Papelbon's return to the Boston Red Sox is in the cards.
h/t: Phillymag
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