The Seattle Mariners will be without outfielder Victor Robles for at least 10 more games.
MLB insider Ben Verlander relayed a Tuesday announcement revealing Robles was suspended for 10 games and fined an “undisclosed” amount for throwing his bat at a pitcher during a rehab assignment for Triple-A Tacoma.
Mariners insider Ryan Divish reported Robles is expected to appeal the ruling and must serve any suspension at the major league level once he is reinstated from the injured list.
Robles threw his bat toward Joey Estes of the Las Vegas Aviators after a pitch came up and in during his at-bat. Estes just so happened to have hit him with a pitch three times in the last year.
Robles wasn’t done, though, as he also threw a bucket of sunflower seeds onto the field:
Robles took to social media after the incident and posted an apology while explaining he “let my frustration get the best of me” during a trying time that has included being away from his team because of his dislocated shoulder and the death of his mother:
“Getting hit 5 times in 15 at-bats added to that pressure, and I reacted in a way I’m not proud of,” he wrote.
The incident happened right as the Mariners were preparing to bring him back into the fold:
Robles hasn’t played in a major league game for the Mariners since April 6. He joined the American League West team last season after the Washington Nationals released him and was largely excellent after making the switch.
In fact, he slashed .328/.393/.467 with four home runs, 26 RBI and 30 stolen bases in 77 games. He figured to be a key part of Seattle’s lineup on a daily basis in 2025 given his late-season production, especially since it signed him to a two-year extension in August.
Seattle has remained in the American League playoff race without him and sits 1.5 games behind the Houston Astros for the division lead. It also occupies one of the three AL wild-card spots and is three games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians.