Blue Jays’ Shapiro expects MLB discipline after brawl with Yankees

Luis Severino was ejected after he hit Justin Smoak with a pitch, but not before a second and much more spirited brawl broke out in the bottom of the second between the Blue Jays and the Yankees that left Joaquin Benoit limping off the field.

TORONTO – Mark Shapiro is expecting Major League Baseball to hand down some punishments as the repercussions from Monday night’s brawl with the New York Yankees continue to hit the Toronto Blue Jays.

The club’s president and CEO, speaking on a conference call to discuss renovation for the team’s spring facility in Dunedin, Fla., said updates on the status of reliever Joaquin Benoit, who was seen leaving on crutches, and second baseman Devon Travis, who tweaked his shoulder, would come Tuesday afternoon, as perhaps might potential sanctions.

"I would imagine discipline is going to be doled out to both teams," he said.

Shapiro was in a council meeting in Dunedin from 5:45-9 p.m. Monday as the dugouts cleared twice between the Blue Jays and Yankees. Things got wild in the second dustup, with Benoit hurting himself during the melee.

Travis, among the first into the fray the second time around, left the game before the start of the sixth. He had two surgeries on his left shoulder last year.

"My takeaway as I started to get caught up was nothing good comes out of those situations. There’s no upside," said Shapiro. "It’s understandable why they develop, but unfortunate. We’ll try to work through it and if there is a lasting impact on the team, then it’s just one more challenge we have to face. Every great team had to demonstrate resilience and toughness and it will be one more challenge for us to face if there’s a direct outcome."

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