By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 16:04 EST, 28 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:25 EST, 29 July 2013 . A Texas Rangers player who claimed he was 'sucker-punched' in Cleveland on Thursday night has been accused of making the whole episode up. Reliever Tanner Scheppers claims he was hit in the face while he was on his way to dinner near the team's hotel in the city's downtown area. But after the report that Scheppers was 'sucker-punched' while innocently out for dinner did the rounds, another, less flattering report began to emerge. According to a local publication, the pitcher wasn't quite the blameless victim of random violence he made himself out to be. Sucker-punched: Tanner Scheppers is suffering a black eye and cuts after he was punched in what was either a bar brawl or an act of random violence . Original reports stated the the 26-year-old was on his way to dinner near his hotel when a group of young men accosted him and knocked hom to the ground. Scheppers suffered a black eye and cuts to his nose and couldn't play in the scheduled game. '[It was] one of those freak things,' Scheppers told the Star-Telegram. 'I was just getting food and was blindsided... It's something you don't want to be talking about. You want to be talking about baseball things.' Scheppers said he didn't retaliate and that the men ran after he fell to the ground. Police were aware of the situation, but according to Scheppers, they advised against filing a police report because 'it was unlikely that anybody would be apprehended,' according to the Dallas News. 'They said it happens a lot, actually,' said Scheeppers told the paper. However, according to a statement by police information officer Sergeant Sammy Morris, that's not exactly how officers remember the incident. 'The preliminary investigation reveals that on Friday, July 26, at approximately 2:30am Texas Ranger pitcher Tanner Scheppers was involved in a physical altercation at Panini’s Bar located on W. 6th Street,' reads the statement. Curve-ball: After Scheppers' version of events did the rounds, a new story has emerged with Scheppers cast as the instigator rather than the innocent victim he made himself out to be . It goes on to say that the 911 call was made by Downtown Alliance workers. 'Once on scene officers attempted to get information from Scheppers for a report however, he refused to provide information and refused to make a police report. Further, officers called for EMS and he refused medical attention and EMS was disregarded. The officers then conveyed Scheppers and another male to the Ranger’s team hotel.' If 2:30am seems a strange time to be heading out for dinner, then further muddying the waters are comments from a witness who says Scheppers was the instigator of a bar brawl. 'He lost a bar fight,' the witness told Scene. According to the witness, six-foot-four-inch-tall Scheppers was with fellow Rangers Joe Nathan, A.J. Pierzynski and 'a bunch of girls'. Street fighting man: The altercation took place here outside Panini's on West 6th St in Cleveland, where a witness says Scheppers had '10 chances' to walk away before being punched . He had been exchanging insults with a group of men before the physical altercation took place. 'He had 10 chances to walk away before this happened,' said the witness. Scheppers was unable to play in the game against local team the Indians on Friday. In light of this new information, Dallas News reports that the Rangers released a statement saying the team's managers plan to look into the matter. 'Following today’s reports, the Texas Rangers are in the process of investigating the incident involving Tanner Scheppers on Thursday night,' the statement said. 'The club has been in contact with officials from the Cleveland Police Department and the Cleveland Indians. Until our investigation is complete, no one from the organization will have any further comment on this matter.' Tanner Scheppers has pitched 46.2 innings this season with a 1.74 ERA and 33 hits given up.
Texas Rangers pitcher Tanner Scheppers said he was a victim of random violence in Cleveland Thursday .
Scheppers was punched in the face by a group of 'young males' and was unable to play the Indians the next day .
New reports suggest Scheppers may have been the instigator of a bar brawl .
Police say the altercation occurred at 2:30am outside a bar and that Scheppers refused to make a statement .
A witness says Scheppers 'lost a bar fight'
By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 16:04 EST, 28 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:25 EST, 29 July 2013 . A Texas Rangers player who claimed he was 'sucker-punched' in Cleveland on Thursday night has been accused of making the whole episode up. Reliever Tanner Scheppers claims he was hit in the face while he was on his way to dinner near the team's hotel in the city's downtown area. But after the report that Scheppers was 'sucker-punched' while innocently out for dinner did the rounds, another, less flattering report began to emerge. According to a local publication, the pitcher wasn't quite the blameless victim of random violence he made himself out to be. Sucker-punched: Tanner Scheppers is suffering a black eye and cuts after he was punched in what was either a bar brawl or an act of random violence . Original reports stated the the 26-year-old was on his way to dinner near his hotel when a group of young men accosted him and knocked hom to the ground. Scheppers suffered a black eye and cuts to his nose and couldn't play in the scheduled game. '[It was] one of those freak things,' Scheppers told the Star-Telegram. 'I was just getting food and was blindsided... It's something you don't want to be talking about. You want to be talking about baseball things.' Scheppers said he didn't retaliate and that the men ran after he fell to the ground. Police were aware of the situation, but according to Scheppers, they advised against filing a police report because 'it was unlikely that anybody would be apprehended,' according to the Dallas News. 'They said it happens a lot, actually,' said Scheeppers told the paper. However, according to a statement by police information officer Sergeant Sammy Morris, that's not exactly how officers remember the incident. 'The preliminary investigation reveals that on Friday, July 26, at approximately 2:30am Texas Ranger pitcher Tanner Scheppers was involved in a physical altercation at Panini’s Bar located on W. 6th Street,' reads the statement. Curve-ball: After Scheppers' version of events did the rounds, a new story has emerged with Scheppers cast as the instigator rather than the innocent victim he made himself out to be . It goes on to say that the 911 call was made by Downtown Alliance workers. 'Once on scene officers attempted to get information from Scheppers for a report however, he refused to provide information and refused to make a police report. Further, officers called for EMS and he refused medical attention and EMS was disregarded. The officers then conveyed Scheppers and another male to the Ranger’s team hotel.' If 2:30am seems a strange time to be heading out for dinner, then further muddying the waters are comments from a witness who says Scheppers was the instigator of a bar brawl. 'He lost a bar fight,' the witness told Scene. According to the witness, six-foot-four-inch-tall Scheppers was with fellow Rangers Joe Nathan, A.J. Pierzynski and 'a bunch of girls'. Street fighting man: The altercation took place here outside Panini's on West 6th St in Cleveland, where a witness says Scheppers had '10 chances' to walk away before being punched . He had been exchanging insults with a group of men before the physical altercation took place. 'He had 10 chances to walk away before this happened,' said the witness. Scheppers was unable to play in the game against local team the Indians on Friday. In light of this new information, Dallas News reports that the Rangers released a statement saying the team's managers plan to look into the matter. 'Following today’s reports, the Texas Rangers are in the process of investigating the incident involving Tanner Scheppers on Thursday night,' the statement said. 'The club has been in contact with officials from the Cleveland Police Department and the Cleveland Indians. Until our investigation is complete, no one from the organization will have any further comment on this matter.' Tanner Scheppers has pitched 46.2 innings this season with a 1.74 ERA and 33 hits given up.
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