Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley will appeal his two-game ban given for injuring New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada.
Tejada suffered a broken leg in Saturday's National League Divisional Series match between the sides in Los Angeles, Utley having taken him out with a hard slide as he tried to reach second base.
Major League Baseball's chief baseball officer Joe Torre confirmed on Sunday that Utley would be banned from games three and four of the series, which is tied 1-1 after the Dodgers won Saturday's controversial game 5-2.
"After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr Utley's action warrants discipline," Torre said in a statement on Sunday.
"While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a)(13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base."
Utley's agent Joel Wolfe said he would appeal the decision.
"Chase did what all players are taught to do in this situation  break up the double play," Wolfe said in a statement. "We routinely see plays at second base similar to this one that have not resulted in suspensions.
"Chase feels terrible about Ruben Tejada's injury and everyone who knows him knows that he would never intentionally hurt anybody. We will be appealing this suspension immediately."
The appeal is set to take place before the teams meet in game three in New York on Monday.
