Umpire Joe West has been suspended three games for comments he made about Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times.

In a USA Today article from June, West called Beltre the game’s biggest complainer. Shaikin reports that the World Umpires Association (WUA) strongly opposes the suspension. West later clarified to USA Today that he and Beltre are on friendly terms. 

"I had a game with him recently and the pitch was right down the middle. He tells me 'that ball is outside,'" West said in the article. “I told him, ‘You may be a great ballplayer, but you’re the worst umpire in the league. You stink.’’

The WUA released a statement on West's suspension. 

"Joe West is the most senior umpire in our ranks, having served MLB since 1976, under six different baseball commissioners. Joe has upheld the rules of fair play for more than 5,000 Major League Baseball games, and is on his way to the record for most career games ever worked by an MLB umpire. He should be on the field today."

West was quoted as making some other controversial remarks in the article, saying the designated hitter rule is "horrible" and is "ruining the game." West says the DH makes opposing lineups tougher on pitchers and makes them "pitch everybody like it's a 3-4-5 hitter," slowing down the game in the process. However, these remarks were reportedly unrelated to his suspension. 

West umpired in his 5,000th game earlier this year and is currently the longest tenured umpire in the MLB.