Pacific League chairman Tadao Koike said Monday he has smacked a 10-game suspension and 300,000 yen fine on Softbank Hawks infielder Julio Zuleta for charging the mound in a game against the Nippon Ham Fighters on Sunday.
Koike said the suspension will take effect when the Hawks take on the Seibu Lions in a two-game series at Invoice Seibu Dome starting Tuesday.
Zuleta lost his temper in the sixth inning Sunday after he was hit in the side by a pitch thrown by Nippon Ham starter Satoru Kanemura. He charged the mound and tackled the right-hander before pummeling him with several punches while other players tried to pull him off Kanemura.
The 31-year-old Panamanian was immediately ejected from the game but hit with a severe punishment as it is his sixth time to be ejected from a game for violent behavior.