Is Jose Ramirez still suspended? MLB reduces Guardians star's penalty in Tim Anderson inciden

On Aug. 5, Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians connected with White Sox runner Tim Anderson's face in a punch that will probably go down as one of the more violent sequences in baseball.

The play occured during the third inning of play between the two NL Central teams. After hitting a ball down the right field line, Anderson dove head-first into Ramirez at second.

Jose Ramirez was obviously not impressed with the way that Tim Anderson slid into him. After some terse words, the pair squared up. While Anderson went after Ramirez first, the 30-year-old Ramirez landed a blow that knocked Tim Anderson over. The pair were soon separated and both were handed ejections.

After the game, footage of Ramirez' highlight-reel blow began making the rounds. The Lake County Captains, who serve as the Cleveland Guardians' Single-A affiliate, even announced a Jose Ramirez appreciation week, and offered free outfield admittance to any fan named Tim, after Mr. Anderson.

Following the incident, Ramirez was suspended for three games, while Tim Anderson received a six-game ban. However, MLB announced on Saturday that they would be commuting Ramirez' suspension to two games, which will be served over his team's weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

When asked what led him to punch Anderson, Ramirez cited Anderson's attitude as a catalyst for the confrontation. It seems as though Anderson's slide was just one straw too much. The Chicago White Sox infielder has repeatedly been criticized for his on-field attitude, and released a flurry of tweets following the altercation that demonstrated more than a few gramatical misunderstandings.

With a record of 56-61, Jose Ramirez and the Guardians sit 3.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the top spot in the AL Central. The White Sox, by contrast, are completely out of the postseason picture. Their 47-70 record puts them 17.5 games out of the nearest playoff berth.

MLB obviously saw some virtue in Jose Ramirez' case

The fact that Anderson was suspended for longer, and did not see the term reduced means that the league clearly sees Tim Anderson as the culprit in this situation.

Ramirez was able to appeal his suspension, and clearly pursuaded a change. While other Guardians coaching staff were also handed modest suspensions, it appears clear that it may be more than just Ramirez who feels as though Anderson's antics may have gotten somewhat out of control in recent times.