ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jonny Gomes dropped his appeal and began serving his five-game suspension Saturday night while his teammates played the Texas Rangers.
Right-hander James Shields will drop his appeal after Tuesday night’s start and will begin his six-game suspension on Wednesday.
Gomes and Shields were two of five Rays suspended for a total of 23 games for their parts in a bench-clearing melee with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night. All five Rays were also fined undisclosed amounts.
The other three Tampa Bay players – outfielder Carl Crawford, right-hander Edwin Jackson and second baseman Akinori Iwamura – are expected to appeal before their suspensions begin.
Crawford’s four-game suspension, Jackson’s five-gamer and Iwamura’s three-gamer will begin later in the month and will be staggered so that the Rays won’t have two pitchers or position players suspended at the same time.
Gomes said he didn’t expect to have his suspension reduced.
“I just don’t think I had a very good case,” Gomes said. “I thought the suspension was justified. I listened to my agent and the team and decided to start my suspension now.”
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