The short answer is no. A slightly longer answer is they’re not permitted to increase a suspension under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  With that said, I was pondering that question when I saw Hansel Robles agree to a two game suspension. 

You know who else received a two game suspension?  Chase Utley. 

To put it in perspective, here are the two plays in question:

The optics of Robles’ pitch do not look good. It was a pitch by the head. He made the pitch in a game that had a number of hit batters, including Yoenis Cespedes right on the hands. The benches were warned. For his part, Robles states there was no intent. As Ron Darling points out, it was a slider that did not slide. It might’ve been because Robles tried to quick pitch the slider. Luckily, no one was hurt. 

Now Utley went beyond just trying to break up a double play. He didn’t slide. He wasn’t in the baseline. As a result of his actions, he broke Ruben Tejada‘s leg. Utley forever changed Tejada’s career. For that, Utley received two games. Baseball actually tried to get him to agree to a one game suspension. Utley’s appeal of the suspension is still pending. 

Think about that for a second. Whether or not you think Utley should’ve been suspended, how does it make sense for Robles to have a longer suspend io than Utley?  Utley potentially altered someone’s  career. He ended someone’s season. Robles had a pitch get away from him. 

If you are going to say Robles was found to have done it intentionally, I disagree. However, it would raise a new question. How is throwing a ball at someone’s head only worth two games?  That’s a dangerous play that should never be tolerated. To put it in perspective, Cole Hamels was suspended five games for hitting Bryce Harper in the small of his back. 

These suspensions don’t make sense. They’re preposterous. If baseball really wants to protect players, they should throw the book at players who actually intend to injure players.