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Seattle Mariners

MLB Notes: Mariners suspend Steve Clevenger without pay for rest of season

The Mariners outrighted catcher Steve Clevenger and two pitchers to Triple-A Tacoma. Clevenger was suspended by the team in September for a series of tweets about the Black Lives Matter movement and was later removed from the suspended list and placed on the 60-day disabled list. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
Associated Press

Reserve catcher Steve Clevenger was suspended for the rest of the season without pay Friday by the Seattle Mariners in the wake of his tweets regarding a recent police shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

“As soon as we became aware of the tweets posted by Steve yesterday we began to examine all of our options in regard to his standing on the team,” General manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement.

Dipoto said Clevenger was informed of the suspension on Friday. Clevenger will lose 10 days’ pay from his $516,500 salary in the major leagues, which comes to $28,224.

The Major League Baseball Players Association, which could challenge the discipline, had no comment.

Clevenger’s Twitter account was changed to private Thursday night. Screen shots of the tweets showed Clevenger made disparaging comments about protesters and President Barack Obama, saying “everyone involved should be locked behind bars like animals!”

Clevenger released a statement to Fox Sports late Thursday night apologizing for “the distraction my tweets on my personal twitter page caused when they went public earlier today.

“I am sickened by the idea that anyone would think of me in racist terms,” continued Clevenger’s statement. “My tweets were reactionary to the events I saw on the news and were worded beyond poorly at best and I can see how and why someone could read into my tweets far more deeply than how I actually feel.”

Clevenger appeared in 22 games for the Mariners this season. He was placed on the disabled list with a fractured hand on June 30.

Mariners hire Hollander

The Seattle Mariners have named Justin Hollander as director of baseball operations.

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto announced the move Friday. The 37-year-old Hollander was the director of player personnel for the Los Angeles Angels, where he worked under Dipoto until the general manager resigned last July. Hollander was hired by the Angels in 2008 and served in multiple roles.

Hollander steps into the job left behind by Caleb Peiffer, who left the team to attend law school.

Clearing the bases

The playoff-contending New York Mets say star pitcher Noah Syndergaard has been scratched from his start Saturday night against the Philadelphia Phillies because of strep throat. Reliever Sean Gilmartin will take Syndergaard’s place. … The Milwaukee Brewers turned their second triple play of the season in the first inning of Friday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. With the runners on first and second, Joey Votto hit a drive off Zach Davies that first baseman Chris Carter snagged near the foul line, taking away an extra-base hit. Carter stepped on first and then lobbed a throw to shortstop Orlando Arcia, who stepped on second for the third out. … Texas Rangers reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been reinstated by MLB and joined the team Friday after being placed on the restricted list following an arrest on a drunken driving charge last month. Jeffress was arrested Aug. 26.