Dodgers' Kelly: MLB's logic behind suspensions is 'kind of fishy'

Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly called out Major League Baseball for how it determines the length of the suspensions it hands down.

Kelly was suspended eight games for almost hitting a pair of Houston Astros in late July. In contrast, New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was banned just three games for throwing near the head of Tampa Bay Rays utility player Mike Brosseau last week.

"It definitely looks kind of fishy," Kelly said, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. "I obviously knew that (Chapman) was a person again and with the language that they're using at me - it was always that I was a repeat offender. I already had one strike on my record (a previous suspension for throwing at a hitter) and Chapman had the same exact thing. But obviously I've probably said a little bit more words than Chapman said."

Kelly's suspension was reduced to five contests upon appeal, though he hasn't served it yet because he's on the injured list.

"I don't think the words that I used to the people who make these decisions were very, very nice when the appeal process went down behind closed doors," the right-hander said. "So I ruffled some feathers. It just shows that their feelings get hurt, just like anyone else's feelings get hurt. So, it is what it is. I would still like to know what they think, you know, what the difference is.

"And if it's not the same, what's the standard for it? Is it three games for the suspension and then five games for making a face or supposedly making the other team leave benches? That's a lot of games for that. ... They made a decision and that's what it is."