Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount for "inappropriate actions towards fans" during Wednesday's game in Cleveland, MLB announced. Anderson is appealing the suspension and is allowed to play until the appeal is heard.
Anderson had a rough game defensively and TV cameras caught him giving the middle finger to a fan who was heckling him. Here's what Anderson told reporters, including Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, about the incident and his poor game in the field:
"That's a lot for (the fan) to say, but he wasn't the one out there fielding the ground balls, he wasn't out there hitting," Anderson said.
"It's just understand that we've been sitting around for two days, no excuses, but you know you've got to get yourself ready to play. In those situations, you've got to understand that you have to up the level of focus more. I can understand that I wasn't on point yesterday. But now it's a new day."
Anderson committed three errors in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader, which contributed to a nine-run second inning for the Guardians. Starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel was critical of the team's defense behind him that afternoon, saying "just when you've seen it all, you really haven't," he told Van Schouwen.
An All-Star last season, Anderson has rated a tick better than average defensively in recent years, according to the various metrics. Wednesday was his second career three-error game (he had one on May 26, 2018), and he followed Wednesday's three-error game with a two-error game Thursday. His five errors lead baseball.
This is already Anderson's second suspension of the 2022 season. He sat out the first two games of the season to finish a three-game suspension levied late last year after he made contact with an umpire.
Anderson, 28, is off to a hot start at the plate, hitting .333/.351/.528 with four doubles and a home run in nine games.
