Nationals suspend Papelbon 4 games after fight with Bryce Harper

The Washington Nationals have suspended pitcher Jonathan Papelbon for four games without pay for his altercation with right fielder Bryce Harper during Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, the team announced Monday.

Papelbon had his left hand around Harper's throat in the dugout in a fight that was broken up by teammates during the eighth inning, when the closer yelled at the leading National League Most Valuable Player candidate to "run that out" after Harper jogged to first base following a routine pop fly. Harper, who starred at Las Vegas High School and the College of Southern Nevada, stopped in the dugout, looked at Papelbon and yelled back, saying at one point, "Let's (bleeping) go," before the altercation started.

Papelbon's suspension will start Thursday, following the three-game suspension he received for throwing at Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado last week, and last the rest of the season.

"The behavior exhibited by Papelbon yesterday is not acceptable," said Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo in a statement. "That is not at all in line with the way our players are expected to conduct themselves, and the Nationals organization will not tolerate it in any way."

Harper was held out of the lineup Monday for the part he played in the incident, manager Matt Williams said in a news conference Monday. Harper had been reportedly scheduled for a day off Monday before the fight happened.

Papelbon has dropped his appeal of the three-game suspension he received for throwing at Machado on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for what he believed to be an excessive home run celebration. Harper called Papelbon's actions "tired" at the time and speculated that he'd probably be hit in retaliation.

On Monday, MLB Network host Mark DeRosa also used "tired" to describe Papelbon's behavior.

"You're top-stepping a guy who's played in 1,262 innings, who's hitting .336 with 41 homers, is gonna be the National League MVP and you're questioning whether or not he goes to the post everyday," DeRosa said (via the Washington Post's Jake Russell). "That's tired, okay?

"No reliever should tell a position player anything about hustle. Go stand out there in the rain, sleet and snow while you guys are giving up gap shots. That bothered me."