Mateo suspended 10 days

NEW YORK – Seattle Mariners reliever Julio Mateo was suspended for 10 days without pay Sunday, a day after he was arrested following a dispute with his wife at a Manhattan hotel.

Mateo was suspended for missing Saturday’s game without permission, the Mariners said. The suspension, if allowed to stand, would cost him $54,645 of his $1 million salary this year.

“I spoke with him yesterday morning on the phone but beyond that I’ve had no contact with him,” Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said before Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees.

Seattle optioned the 29-year-old pitcher to Tacoma after Saturday’s game and recalled pitcher Sean Green from the minor league team on Sunday to fill the roster spot.

“I think it’s natural that the guys are going to be concerned,” Hargrove said. “We just move on and go about our business. I don’t know if there’s any way you can address that. It is what it is. We just move on.”

The 6-foot, 220-pound reliever was arrested on a charge of third-degree assault, posted bond and was released. Police said his wife needed five stitches to her mouth.

Mateo’s agent, Martin Arburua, did not return telephone and e-mail messages. Michael Weiner, the players’ association’s general counsel, said the union will examine the matter today.

Mateo is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in nine games this season and is in the final season of a $1.87 million, two-year contract.