Ryan Borucki had his suspension reduced from three games down to two, the team announced on Friday.
The Toronto Blue Jays reliever will begin serving his ban Friday night.
Borucki filed an appeal after he was originally handed a three-game suspension and a fine for hitting Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier with a pitch on Wednesday. The incident occurred with the Blue Jays down 7-1 in the eighth inning. Borucki was immediately thrown out of the game.
Kiermaier was at the centre of much debate after picking up a Blue Jays scouting report card that fell out of catcher Alejandro Kirk’s wristband on Monday and not returning it. As a result, he felt Borucki’s intentions were clear with the pitch.
“Oh yeah, it was intentional,” Kiermaier said after the game. “I thought it was a weak move.”
Borucki denied any suggestion he did it on purpose.
“I missed up and in and I accidentally hit him,” Borucki said. “They can think what they want over there in their locker room. But it is what it is. That’s really all I got.”
With the Blue Jays currently one game behind the New York Yankees for the second wild-card spot and the Rays leading the AL East, Kiermaier made it known he’d like a rematch with Toronto in the playoffs.
“I hope we play those guys (in the post-season),” he said. “I really do. I hope we play them.”
The Blue Jays continue their push for the playoffs on Friday as the team plays the second of a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis. Watch the game live on Sportsnet starting at 8 p.m. ET.
