Pirates' Rodolfo Castro suspended one game for having phone on basepaths originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Rodolfo Castro may have been safe at third base when his phone popped out of his pocket against the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, but he was not absolved of some embarrassment – or a suspension.
Major League Baseball handed Castro a one-game ban and an undisclosed fine on Tuesday for the gaffe, citing its electronic device policy. Castro is appealing the suspension.
The moment happened on Aug. 9 in Castro’s first game since being recalled for his second stint in the majors this season. The Pittsburgh Pirates infielder was running from first to third on a single from Oneil Cruz in the fourth inning when his phone fell onto the dirt.
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Castro claimed that he forgot he had his phone on him after placing a sliding glove in his pocket.
“I don’t think there’s any professional ballplayer that would ever go out there with any intentions of taking a cellphone,” Castro told reporters after the game. “It’s horrible it happened to me. Obviously, it was very unintentional.”
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For the season, Castro has a .239 batting average, two home runs and five RBIs across 27 games in Pittsburgh.
