Kelly handed 6-game suspension, Austin gets 5 for roles in brawl

Boston Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly has been handed a six-game suspension for hitting Tyler Austin with a pitch, while the New York Yankees designated hitter will get five games for subsequently charging the mound to kick off the ensuing brawl on Wednesday night, according to Major League Baseball.

Both players were issued undisclosed fines and have elected to appeal.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin were also fined, along with CC Sabathia, Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Pedroia, and Marco Hernandez, all of whom entered the brawl despite being on the disabled list.

The tension began when Austin slid hard into second base during the third inning, clipping Red Sox second baseman Brock Holt in the calf with his cleats. After the benches cleared and a brief delay, the game resumed without any ejections.

However, in the seventh inning, Kelly hit Austin on a 2-1 pitch after going up and in on the second pitch of the at-bat as well. Austin stormed the mound, causing a benches-clearing brawl. Both Kelly and Austin were ejected.

The Red Sox and Yankees will conclude their three-game series Thursday night at Fenway Park. The clubs will meet 16 more times throughout the remainder of the season.