The Pittsburgh Pirates will be without reliever Chris Devenski and manager Don Kelly after Major League Baseball handed down suspensions following an incident against the Cincinnati Reds. The discipline comes after Devenski was ejected for a pitch that umpires believed was thrown intentionally at Sal Stewart.
After news broke that Tarik Skubal is set to miss multiple weeks due to injury, the spotlight now shifts to the Pirates. MLB reduced Devenski’s suspension to two games after an initial three-game ruling, while Kelly will miss one game. Both also received fines. “Going hard inside to start an at-bat… just trying to execute my pitch,” Devenski said, according to MLB.com, making it clear he did not believe the throw was intentional.
The moment occurred during the seventh inning, when a pitch inside caused Stewart to lose his helmet and react with frustration. After a brief discussion among the umpires, the decision was made to eject Devenski, which later led to the suspension.
Umpires explain decision after reviewing the situation
Crew chief Alan Porter said the ruling was based on the full sequence of events during the at-bat. “We believe he threw it at him intentionally. That’s why we ejected him,” Porter explained.
Chris Devenski was suspended after an incident against the Reds. Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
After the ejection, Yohan Ramirez entered the game and finished the inning. Despite the tension, Pittsburgh went on to secure a convincing 17-7 win, completing a strong series against Cincinnati.
Pirates must adjust with bullpen already under pressure
The suspensions come at a challenging time for Pittsburgh, as the team has relied heavily on its bullpen early in the season. Through 35 games, the Pirates’ relievers have already logged one of the highest inning totals in the league.
That puts more responsibility on starters like Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, and Bubba Chandler to provide length in upcoming games. The team will look to manage its pitching carefully while Devenski serves his suspension.
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Devenski, a veteran with more than a decade in the majors, has made three appearances for Pittsburgh this season, allowing two earned runs in limited innings. Even with a short suspension, his absence adds another test for a team trying to maintain stability on the mound.
