CHICAGO — Kansas City Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain is prepared to serve a two-game suspension if he must.
Cain simply hopes that a closer look at last week’s melee will result in a lighter penalty.
“If you go out there and fight and do things, you’ve got to pay the consequences,” Cain said Sunday afternoon. “I appealed it, but we’ll see what happens.”
Any length of time without Cain on the field could prove costly to Kansas City. The 29-year-old has been one of the Royals’ most important players once again this season by hitting .381 (24-for-63) with two home runs, 12 RBIs and five stolen bases in 17 games.
Cain insisted that he and his teammates have returned their focus to baseball instead of brawling. He was one of six players who drew suspensions after Thursday’s fight, which began after Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura screamed an obscenity at White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton after a comebacker to the mound.
“I think we all let our emotions out that night, and I think it’s over and done with,” Cain said. “We’re going to go out here and get back to playing baseball and just leave it at that.”
White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija charged toward Cain during the brawl. The Royals have been involved in four bench-clearing incidents already this season.
“It’s definitely intense,” Cain said. “It’s definitely a hectic moment on the field. At the same time, we’re teammates in here. We back each other. That’s what we do.
“Right now, all we’re really focused on is getting back to playing baseball because winning ball games is what we’re here to do — not to fight.”
