Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale has been suspended for five games by the club due to a clubhouse incident that took place yesterday before Sale was scheduled to start versus the Detroit Tigers.

Here’s the team’s official statement on Sale’s suspension:

Today’s Knuckleball was the first to report that Sale decided to cut up an unknown number of the 1976 throwback jerseys that sported unusual collars on a hot and humid night in Chicago. Sale was fined a total of 262,700 as a result of his actions.

Sale is eligible to return to the team Thursday on the other side of Chicago versus the Cubs. He is also scheduled to make his 20th start of the season that day.

“Obviously we’re all extremely disappointed that we have to deal with this issue at this time both from the standpoint of the club as well as Chris’ perspective,” White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “It’s unfortunate that it has become this level of an issue and potential distraction taking away from what we’re trying to accomplish on the field.”

With the White Sox ten games behind the Indians for first place in the American League Central and seven games behind the Blue Jays in the Wild Card race, Sale’s name has been thrown around in trade rumors, and this incident is not expected to hurt his trade value.

This is not the first time Sale has had a flare up with the White Sox. During spring training, Sale openly voiced his critical opinion on the White Sox when executive Kevin Williams said that Adam LaRoche‘s son, Drake LaRoche would no longer be allowed in the clubhouse.

“The actions or behaviors of the last 24 hours does not change in any aspect, any respect, our belief that Chris Sale can help this club win a championship and win multiple championships,” Hahn also said. “It does not move the needle one iota in terms of his value to this club, his value to any other club that may be interested in his services or the likelihood of him being moved or kept whatsoever. None of that stuff is impacted at all by these events.”

As for now, Chris Sale remains a White Sox. He is 14-3 on the year with a 3.18 earned run average and 129 strikeouts over 133 innings of work this season.

[twitter-follow screen_name='tony_montalto' show_count='yes']