Angel Stadium turned into a boxing ring on Tuesday night when Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler charged the mound on Braves starter Reynaldo López, setting off a benches-clearing brawl in Anaheim. Both players were ejected after trading punches as teammates from both sides poured onto the infield, with coaches and stadium security scrambling to pull bodies apart. Atlanta went on to a 7-2 win, but the viral highlight was López throwing a punch while still clutching the baseball.
How the dust-up started
Soler had already tagged López for a home run in the first inning. The tension climbed when Soler was hit by a 96 mph fastball in his second plate appearance. Things finally boiled over in the fifth, when López fired a high-and-inside wild pitch that glanced off catcher Jonah Heim's glove. According to ESPN, Soler stared out at López, then suddenly bolted from the batter's box and charged the mound, where the two immediately began throwing punches. Broadcast replays showed both dugouts and bullpens emptying as players sprinted in to break things up.
The fight on the mound
Slow-motion replays and photo stills showed López landing at least one punch while still gripping the baseball, a detail that only seemed to add urgency as players and coaches piled in to separate the two. The Los Angeles Times reported that Braves manager Walt Weiss was among those who tackled Soler as others pulled the fighters apart. The whole scene lasted only a few chaotic moments before umpires and coaches restored order, and play resumed.
Players weigh in
“I asked him if everything was OK, and the answer he gave me, I didn't like it,” Soler said through a translator, according to CBS News. López, also speaking through a translator, said he had no intention of hitting Soler and called the incident “a shame.” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said he could not blame Soler for reacting after a pitch that came close to the head, while Braves manager Walt Weiss told reporters he stepped in to prevent anyone from getting seriously hurt.
What comes next
Both Soler and López were tossed from the game, and the league office is expected to comb through video of the melee. Sports Illustrated noted that MLB typically hands out suspensions after bench-clearing fights, so more discipline seems likely, although nothing has been announced yet. For now, both clubs have turned the page to the next game on the schedule.
The Braves snapped a three-game skid with the 7-2 victory. López worked 4 2/3 innings and struck out seven before his ejection, while Ozzie Albies provided key offense for Atlanta, according to The Washington Post. Clips of the fight bounced around social media well after the final out, and both teams said they will cooperate with any league review.
_(cropped).jpg){kind=link}