MLB suspends three

The shenanigans between the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays will leave them short-handed.

Yankees first baseman Shelley Duncan and center fielder Melky Cabrera were suspended for three regular-season games and Tampa Bay outfielder Jonny Gomes was docked two games Friday following a dustup this week fueled by an incident last week. The penalties will begin at the start of the regular season, unless they’re appealed.

All three players were fined, as were Yankees manager Joe Girardi, third-base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Kevin Long.

A feud began last Saturday after a Rays prospect plowed into Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, breaking his wrist.

On Wednesday, Duncan made a spikes-high slide that led to the benches clearing, and Gomes rushed in from right field to barrel into him.

Tampa Bay and New York meet 18 times during the regular season, starting April 4 at Yankee Stadium.

Clearing the bases

Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte threw 42 pitches during a bullpen session in Tampa, Fla., two days after he was scratched from his scheduled start with a minor muscle irritation on the outside of his throwing elbow. … Chicago’s Mark Buehrle was named the White Sox opening-day starter. … Team president Mark Lamping is leaving the St. Louis Cardinals to oversee construction and operations of the new stadium for the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets at the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Lamping will be replaced by Bill DeWitt III, the 40-year-old son of Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. … Washington Nationals outfielder Wily Mo Pena will miss about four weeks because of a tear in his left oblique muscle. … Houston Astros second baseman Kazuo Matsui will undergo surgery to repair an anal fissure on Monday in Houston. … Right-hander Kyle Lohse passed a physical and threw a side session under the watchful eye of pitching coach Dave Duncan before finalizing a $4.25 million, one-year contract with the Cardinals.