Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jose Alvarado has been suspended for three games by Major League Baseball for inciting a benches-clearing incident in Friday's home game against the New York Mets. The punishment, announced Sunday by MLB senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill, includes an undisclosed fine, but Alvarado won't begin to serve his ban until after he appeals. The incident occurred in the middle of the eighth inning, when Alvarado appeared to challenge Dominic Smith after striking him out to end the top of the frame by throwing his glove. The benches cleared -- then cleared again when Mets pitcher Miguel Castro twice threw inside to Rhys Hoskins. Smith and Castro were also fined. Phillies manager Joe Girardi didn't seem to think the punishment of his player was warranted. "The unfortunate thing is people want to see emotion but managers don't want to see players suspended. To me, it kind of stinks. It might have been the most exciting part of that game, too," Girardi said, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia. "(MLB) felt he instigated, but that doesn't cause everyone to run out of the dugout." bb/js