MLB Notes: Manny Machado,Yordano Ventura begin suspensions

Manny Machado begrudgingly accepted his four-game suspension for charging the mound, simply because the Baltimore Orioles third baseman knew arguing his position was probably pointless.

Machado dropped his appeal of his suspension Saturday and will begin serving the punishment on Sunday.

“Let’s just get this past us already and keep playing baseball,” Machado said after the Orioles beat Toronto 4-2.

The suspension stems from a June 8 game in which Machado rushed toward Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura after being hit in the back with a 99 mph fastball.

Machado punched Ventura in the face and was subsequently tackled by the right-hander as both benches and bullpens emptied.

Major League Baseball slapped a four-game suspension and a fine on Machado, who immediately appealed.

“I think MLB felt it was fair what they gave me and I don’t think they were going to get it down, which is, I mean, it’s their opinion against mine,” Machado said. “We’ve got this process. It’s done and over. I’ll sit down for the four games and be ready to help this team get to the playoffs.”

The Royals announced Saturday that Ventura will begin serving an eight-game suspension for his role in a brawl.

Ventura’s suspension, which was originally nine games, was reduced by one game. He will be eligible to return on June 28 against the St. Louis Cardinals, barring any rainouts.

Machado will miss Sunday’s game against Toronto, a makeup game in Texas on Monday and a two-game series against San Diego on Tuesday and Wednesday. When he begins his suspension, Machado’s run of 229 consecutive starts – the longest current streak in the majors – will come to an end.

“I don’t regret anything,” Machado said. “When somebody’s throwing 99 at you, it’s going to hurt. You can ruin someone’s career. You don’t think in that situation. You just react to it.”

Darvish to iron out lazy delivery

The Rangers and Yu Darvish are convinced that some unintentional “laziness” in his delivery led to the bout of shoulder soreness that sent him to the disabled list. Ironing that out will be Darvish’s weekend project before he gets back on a mound at a still undetermined date.

“He was cutting off his delivery,” pitching coach Doug Brocail said Friday. “That’s basically a product of laziness that develops in our delivery. He was slowing his arm down instead of letting it go by itself. I want to get to a point where there is no recoil to the delivery.”

The plan was for Darvish to play catch over the weekend and work on lengthening the finish of his delivery. It can be a bit of a tricky process because the longer the finish, the more the elbow ligament is forced to extend. That leads to soreness on a surgically repaired ligament. And soreness leads to overcompensating in other areas.Darvish underwent an exam in Arlington, Texas, earlier in the week and it was determined that he had suffered no structural damage.The next step: Learning to deal with “normal” soreness.

Darvish said he realized what he was doing after looking at video. He has also started working out with some weighted baseballs from Driveline Baseball, a Seattle-based training outfit that is heavy into biomechanics of pitching.

Clearing the bases

Blue Jays SS Troy Tulowitzki (right leg) was activated from the 15-day disabled list. … The Cardinals recalled OF Tommy Pham from Triple-A Memphis and optioned OF Randal Grichuk to Triple-A. … The Orioles reinstated SS J.J. Hardy (left foot) and right-hander Yovani Gallardo (right shoulder) from the 15-day disabled list. Baltimore also optioned reliever T.J. McFarland to Triple-A Norfolk. … Rockies righty Tyler Chatwood left Colorado’s game at Miami in the second inning because of back spasms. Chatwood threw 48 pitches Saturday, the last of which sailed to the backstop for his third walk. … The Pirates placed righty Juan Nicasio on the restricted list to tend to a family matter. Manager Clint Hurdle says the move isn’t “punitive” and that Nicasio was encouraged to go. … Cubs CF Dexter Fowler left Chicago’s game against the Pirates Saturday because of discomfort in his right hamstring. Albert Almora Jr. replaced him in center field in the second.