MLB says Chicago Cubs' Rizzo violated rule, closes the issue

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo got "the call" Tuesday from Major League Baseball's Joe Torre about his running into San Diego Padres catcher Austin Hedges in Monday's 3-2 Cubs victory.

Torre, baseball's chief disciplinarian, told Rizzo he indeed violated the rule against going out of one's way to initiate contact with the catcher at home plate.

Rizzo's punishment was that Hedges held on to the ball and tagged him out. There will be no further action taken by MLB.

"I just had a good call with Mr. Torre," Rizzo said. "He explained the rule more in depth to me. He said according to the rules it was a violation.

"There's not going to be any discipline because the way I explained it to him, the way I was going, there was zero intent to be malicious toward Austin Hedges. It was a good conversation, and I'm happy they came to closure on it.

"I went in with a kind of last-second slide, not really sure what to do, where to go. That's his (Torre's) understanding of it, too. It's not like I was going in trying to end Austin Hedges' career."

Rule 6.01 (I) states that "a runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate), or otherwise initiate an avoidable collision. If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out (regardless of whether the player covering home plate maintains possession of the ball)."

Rizzo was attempting to score on a flyball to center field by Kris Bryant. Former Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur threw Rizzo out as Rizzo crashed into Hedges.

After the game, Padres manager Andy Green called the play a "cheap shot," but he stopped short of calling Rizzo a dirty player.

"I stand pretty much by everything I said last night," Green said Tuesday. "I feel like it (Torre's ruling) was the right read on the situation. According to baseball, it is the right read.

"I go back to what I said last night. I don't think in any way, shape or form he's a dirty baseball player. I think it's one of those plays he makes a decision in a split second. He violated a rule, a rule that's designed to protect the health of my catcher, the health of every catcher in baseball."

Cub general manager Jed Hoyer said the rule is a good one. It was put in to protect catchers.

"I think it's taken collisions out of the game," Hoyer said. "With concussions now, with the value of catchers, I don't think you want to see collisions.

"Ultimately, I think his path deviated a little bit toward the catcher, which is obviously against the rules. I do think it's hard for the baserunner. You're trying to make a decision on exactly where to slide and when to slide."

Still no-go for Heyward:

Right fielder Jason Heyward was out of the starting lineup for a second straight game because of a scraped left hand. He suffered the injury going for a flyball Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Manager Joe Maddon said there is no talk yet of putting Heyward on the disabled list. Heyward said he'd like to play Wednesday but that he had to be "realistic."

Schwarber bruised:

Left fielder Kyle Schwarber sat out at the start of Tuesday's game after fouling a pitch off his right ankle Monday. An X-ray was negative.

"It looked like I had a baseball on my ankle," he said. "I felt like a ball was hit in the gap, I wasn't going to be able to make a play on it."