Discipline Committee makes Kai Wagner to pay up for diving for the second time in three days

Philadelphia Union left back Kai Wagner had to open up his wallet for the second time this week after being fined again by the MLS Disciplinary Committee for simulation/embellishment.

Wagner was fined an undisclosed amount on Tuesday for an incident against the Portland Timbers last Saturday and then fined again on Friday for a similar incident against the Colorado Rapids.

He joins Union captain Alejandro Bedoya on the list of players disciplined for the league for diving this season. Bedoya was issued his fine on May 21 for a play that was ruled a dive in the box against the Seattle Sounders.

That means the Union are on a three-game streak of being punished for simulation.

Wagner has also drawn the ire of the disciplinary committee for a harsh challenge against the Montreal Impact on April 20 that earned him an extra game suspension.

As a team, the Union have been punished five times by the committee, which includes Marco Fabian’s additional game suspension and fine for landing on Johnny Russell trying to avoid his challenge in the second game of the season.

Based on a website search of the disciplinary committee decisions this season, the Union have been punished the most of any team. The New York Red Bulls and LA Galaxy have had players show up on the discipline reports four times this season.

The committee has issued 45 decisions, according to our count. Of those, 20 have been for simulation/embellishment. Wagner is the only player who has been punished twice for it so far this season.