SEATTLE -- Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is appealing his two-game suspension for fighting and inciting a benches-clearing incident against the San Francisco Giants.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Friday that Puig was in the process of appealing. Puig was suspended Thursday by Major League Baseball after he took a swing at Giants catcher Nick Hundley in the seventh inning of the Dodgers' 2-1 home loss Tuesday. Hundley was fined.
Puig will be eligible to play during the appeal. He did not play in Friday's series opener in Seattle, an 11-1 Dodgers win, but Roberts said he would have Puig in the lineup in the next few games.
The fracas started when Puig swatted his bat in frustration after fouling off a pitch from Tony Watson, and Hundley said something to the slugger while the catcher was still in his crouch. Puig turned around and walked toward Hundley, the catcher stood up, and they argued face-to-face before Puig shoved Hundley twice.
That brought players out of the benches and bullpens. Puig and Hundley were momentarily separated, but Puig ducked around teammates, coaches and Roberts before reaching back to hit Hundley. He smacked Hundley with an open hand across the front of his catcher's mask.
