Baseball broadcasters are paid to say interesting words about the game and have decent on-air chemistry. They are not, however, paid to be friends with each other. Some are natural friends, but others are very much not. Detroit Tigers broadcasters Mario Impemba and Rod Allen are definitely on the “not friends” train. Katie Strang of The Athletic reported Thursday that Impemba and Allen got into an “altercation” that resulted in their absence from Wednesday’s broadcast. Multiple sources told The Athletic that neither Impemba nor Allen were part of Wednesday’s broadcast due to a physical altercation between the two television personalities following Tuesday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox. It is not immediately clear what prompted the attack. According to WDIV, the altercation occurred following Tuesday night’s broadcast. Impemba reportedly left the booth, only to be followed by Allen and allegedly choked from behind. The pair were broken up by a third party. Tom Shaer, Allen’s agent, denied the allegations in a statement to WDIV. “We have not commented because Fox Sports Detroit is handling this professionally and thoroughly. But these ridiculous, blatantly false descriptions require me to speak the truth and say they are utter fabrications. Nobody followed anybody, there was no contact from behind, and a “choke hold” is a shamefully untrue way to describe anything which occurred in that very brief altercation. Anonymous fabrications by others do injustice to the very concepts of fairness and professionalism. Those who give such gross untruths to media should be ashamed of themselves.” What could cause such an altercation? According to WDIV’s report, it was a disagreement over a chair in the booth. Impemba has been the play-by-play announcer for Tigers TV broadcasts since 2002. Allen, who spent five years in the majors, has been one of the Tigers color analysts for 15 seasons. Off the air (and sometimes on it), the two are not known to be close, or even very friendly. Strang said that there has been “simmering tension” between the two for some time, resulting from their opposing personalities and broadcast styles. Story continues Rod Allen and Mario Impemba reportedly had a physical altercation with each other after the Tigers game on Tuesday. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Allen and Impemba went back to Detroit after the reported altercation, but their travel arrangements were made so the two would not be traveling together. They were replaced on the broadcast by Matt Shepard and former MLB player Kirk Gibson. Strang contacted Fox Sports Detroit about the incident, and general manager Greg Hammaren didn’t say much, but he didn’t deny that the altercation happened. “My only comment is this we are addressing an internal matter and we will not have any further comment at this time.” The Detroit Free Press reported that Impemba and Allen will meet with Fox Sports Detroit’s executives on Thursday to determine what should happen in light of the incident. – – – – – – Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter at @lizroscher. More from Yahoo Sports: • Missouri college takes action over Kaepernick ad • Rockies slugger hits historic home run on big night • Jeff Passan: Why surgery may not be so devastating for Ohtani • Henry Bushnell: How winning the Super Bowl changed Philly<doc-sep>Detroit Tigers analyst Rod Allen allegedly placed play-by-play partner Mario Impemba in a chokehold after the pair had a disagreement in the broadcast booth, according to reports. Following the Tigers’ 8-3 win against the White Sox on Tuesday night, Impemba left the broadcast booth, only to be followed by Allen, who attacked him from behind and choked him, according to Local 4. The Detroit News reported that tensions brewed before first pitch over a special chair that Allen had been using for back issues. However, things cooled off during the game before a separate issue turned the broadcast booth into a WWE ring. Tom Shaer, Allen’s agent, denied the choking allegations and called them “utter fabrications.” “Nobody followed anybody, there was no contact from behind, and a ‘choke hold’ is a shamefully untrue way to describe anything which occurred in that very brief altercation,” Shaer said in a statement. On Thursday night, Allen broke his silence on Twitter, saying: “I’ve always conducted myself as an honorable professional and I always will. Because this is a personnel matter. I can’t comment right now.” Prior to the altercation, tension was brewing between the pair, who have been together since 2002. Matt Shepherd and Kirk Gibson were last-minute fill-ins for Wednesday’s Tigers game. The Athletic reported Impemba and Allen booked separate flights back to Detroit to avoid running into each other. Impemba and Allen will not return to the booth for the rest of the season.<doc-sep>Detroit Tigers television announcers Mario Impemba and Rod Allen have been suspended for the rest of the season after allegedly getting into a physical altercation earlier this week. Fox Sports Detroit announced the decision on Friday. The longtime popular pair reportedly tangled in the broadcast booth Tuesday before a game in Chicago against the White Sox. “After speaking with all involved parties, Fox Sports Detroit has decided not to schedule Rod Allen and Mario Impemba for any future Tigers telecasts this season,” network spokeswoman Courtney Welch said in a statement. “Since this is an internal matter, we will have no further comment.” Impemba and Allen are in their 17th season as the team’s main television team. Allen has split color-commentating duties with Kirk Gibson and Craig Monroe in the past two seasons. Advertisement Matt Shepard and Gibson, who traveled to Chicago to announce Wednesday’s game. The Tigers were off Thursday, and Shepard and Gibson were back in the booth as the Tigers host the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Allen defended himself on Twitter on Thursday. “I’ve always conducted myself as an honorable professional and I always will,” he said. “Because this is a personnel matter. I can’t comment right now.” A message for Impemba was not immediately returned. Red Sox to activate ace Chris Sale from DL, ease him back in The Boston Red Sox are ready to slowly ease ace Chris Sale back into action. Manager Alex Cora says the left-hander will be activated from the disabled list and pitch about two innings Tuesday night against Toronto at Fenway Park. Cora said Sale would throw a maximum of 40 pitches for the AL East leaders. Cora made the announcement before Boston hosted Houston on Friday. The Red Sox have the best record in the majors and, if they win their division, would begin the playoffs in exactly four weeks. Advertisement Sale originally went on the disabled list July 31 with mild left shoulder inflammation. He returned for a start Aug. 12 against Baltimore, going five innings and striking out 12. But he quickly as placed back on the disabled list a week later with the same ailment. “Little by little, we’re getting healthy,” Cora said. Sale has been dominant this season, going 12-4 with a 1.97 ERA. His ERA is the second-best in the majors, and he has struck out 219 in only 146 innings. In July, he started the All-Star game for the third straight year. Cora said the progression for Sale with be two innings his first outing, followed by three in his next start. Advertisement “We’ll keep going and then last one — whenever it is — it’s like a full-go six innings, 100 pitches or seven innings 100 pitches,” Cora said. “There’s a few days with the off-days there where we’ll take advantage of him building up and taking care of other guys.” Mets 3B David Wright set for simulated game in comeback try David Wright is scheduled to participate in a simulated game Saturday at Citi Field, the next step for the New York Mets’ captain as he tries to make a major league comeback from back and shoulder injuries. The third baseman hasn’t played in the big leagues since May 2016. He batted a combined .171 (7 for 41) with one double in 10 games for Class A St. Lucie and two with Triple-A Las Vegas last month before his rehab assignment expired on the final day of August. Advertisement With the season over for New York’s minor league affiliates, Wright and the Mets are looking for other ways to measure his progress. He’s expected to get six at-bats Saturday and take live grounders in the field. A seven-time All-Star, Wright is under contract through 2020. He is making $20 million this year and is owed $27 million over the next two seasons. If the Mets reinstate him from the 60-day disabled list, it would likely diminish the amount of insurance money they could collect on his contract. Orioles pitcher Hess hit in eye playing catch with football Advertisement Baltimore Orioles pitcher David Hess might miss a scheduled start after being hit in the eye while playing catch with a football. Hess was tossing the ball with teammates before Friday night’s game against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field. He was taken to a specialist for an examination of his left eye. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter didn’t rule out Hess missing his start Saturday night against the Rays. It’s a normal sight before batting practice to see pitchers doing running work involving football passes. Advertisement Hess is not the only issue for the Baltimore rotation this weekend. Showalter said righty Alex Cobb is not expected to start Sunday due to lingering blister problems. Josh Rogers would take Cobb’s spot. Nationals activate closer Sean Doolittle from disabled list The Washington Nationals have activated All-Star closer Sean Doolittle from the 10-day disabled list. The Nationals made the move before Friday night’s game against the Cubs. The left-hander missed 54 games with a stress reaction in his left foot. Advertisement Doolittle is 3-2 with a 1.45 ERA in 35 appearances. He has 22 saves in 23 chances. The 31-year-old was chosen as an All-Star for the second time in his career, but had to miss the game, which was held at Nationals Park. His return likely means a passenger for Washington’s bullpen cart, which debuted Aug. 17 but has yet to be utilized by a player. Doolittle has said he will ride in the cart. Washington began the day eight games behind Atlanta in the NL East and nine back in the wild card race.<doc-sep>Mario Impemba and Rod Allen did not take part in Wednesday's Fox Sports Detroit broadcast. Fox Sports Detroit broadcasters Mario Impemba and Rod Allen engaged in a "physical altercation" on Tuesday, according to The Athletic's Katie Strang. Per Strang's report, the Tigers' play-by-play man and analyst had "simmering tension" prior to the altercation, battling over differing broadcast styles for an extended period. That tension came to a head following the Tigers' win over the White Sox in Chicago on Tuesday night, when the alleged altercation occurred. Matt Shepard and Kirk Gibson filled in for the pair during the Tigers' pregame show on Wednesday night while Impemba and Allen returned to Detroit, reportedly via separate travel arrangements. Neither broadcaster had commented on the report as of Thursday morning. Fox Sports Detroit decided not to schedule Impemba and Allen for any future Tigers telecasts this season, per Anthony Fenech of Free Press Sports. WDIV in Detroit reported the altercation started because of a disagreement over a chair in the broadcast booth. They added that Impemba had left the booth at one point, and then Allen followed and allegedly proceeded to assault his broadcast partner from behind and choke him. Impemba and Allen have been together for 17 years on Tigers' broadcasts.<doc-sep>
Screenshot : Youtube Play-by-play man Mario Impemba and color commentator Rod Allen have been calling Tigers games on Fox Sports Detroit together for over a decade—and they make a great on-screen duo, for what it’s worth. But apparently, putting two men together in a small box and forcing them to talk for several hours 162 games a year for 15 seasons can lead to some tensions, and that’s showed this week. According to a report from The Athletic, Impemba and Allen had some sort of physical altercation following the Tigers’ game against the White Sox on Tuesday, which The Athletic is calling an “attack.”* Multiple sources told The Athletic that neither Impemba nor Allen were part of Wednesday’s broadcast due to a physical altercation between the two television personalities following Tuesday’s game in Chicago against the White Sox. It is not immediately clear what prompted the attack. According to the accounts of those sources, there has been simmering tension between both Impemba and Allen and the clash of personalities ultimately boiled over on Tuesday night. The Athletic credited the tension to a difference in broadcasting styles and personalities, which the two find harder to smooth over off air. Impemba and Allen did not broadcast the Tigers game on Wednesday, and according to the report, they had separate travel arrangements back to Detroit. When contacted by The Athletic, Fox Sports Detroit’s general manager did not deny that the altercation happened, saying, “My only comment is this we are addressing an internal matter and we will not have any further comment at this time.” *Update (3:46 p.m. ET): The Athletic has since changed their wording to describe the physical altercation as an “incident” rather than an “attack.” Update (5:20 p.m. ET): WDIV in Detroit is reporting that the physical altercation involved Allen choking Impemba from behind. Allen did this “because of a disagreement over a chair in the booth,” according to the report. [The Athletic]