MLB Umpires Blast Manny Machado’s Short Suspension As ‘Disgrace To The Game’

Major League Baseball umpires are seething over the slap on Manny Machado’s wrist.

The MLB Umpires Association blasted the one-game suspension MLB levied against the San Diego Padres this week as a “disgrace to the game.” Machado was ejected in the fifth inning of Sunday’s Padres versus Colorado Rockies game after he vehemently protested umpire Bill Welke’s called third strike. MLB announced Monday it has suspended Machado for “aggressively arguing and making contact,” but the penalty for his high-profile eruption didn’t satisfy umpires at all.

Machado intends to appeal the suspension because he believes he didn’t touch Welke during his tirade. The fact he’ll continue playing until MLB hears his appeal might rankle some umpires, but they don’t make the rules of the game. They only enforce them.