Pirates infielder handed suspension for cell phone incident

Pirates infielder Rodolfo Castro was suspended one game and fined for having his cell phone in his pocket while playing against the Diamondbacks.

Rodolfo Castro went viral last week when his phone slid out of his pocket while he slid headfirst into second base.

The incident is going to cost the infielder a game and some change.

On Tuesday, MLB decided on a one-game suspension and a fine for Castro, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Castro is appealing the suspension and will be able to continue playing until the appeal is resolved.

MLB suspended Pirates rookie Rodolpho Castro for his phone mishap

Castro was facing significantly greater punishment if the league suspected he might have been using his phone to cheat. Passan tweeted that “some executives wondered whether it warranted a longer suspension” because of that very angle.

The minor suspension suggests MLB believed Castro’s explanation that it was an honest mistake and not something more nefarious.

According to Passan, the league looked at the phone in question and didn’t find evidence of it being used at all during the Aug. 9 game, let alone for no good.

Still, it was a clear violation of MLB policy, restricting electronic devices on the playing field. Punishment of some sort was always likely.

It’s safe to say Castro won’t make that mistake again. Just as the average person has to check to make sure they have their phone with them when they walk out the door, MLB players should probably double-check their pockets before taking the field to avoid a similar mishap.

Castro debuted for the Pirates in 2021, hitting five home runs in the span of six games. They were the first five hits of his career.

He’s played in 27 games this season, batting .239/.300/.402. He has two home runs and two stolen bases.