Unlike many confrontations described as brawls in MLB, hands were thrown in Tuesday’s game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels.
A fight broke out in the fifth inning between Braves pitcher Reynaldo López and Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler, triggering a full clearing of the benches and bullpens. Tension had been brewing throughout the game, with Soler hitting a two-run homer in the first inning then getting hit by a 96 mph fastball in the third.
Advertisement
Tensions boiled over when López threw a high fastball during Soler’s third plate appearance. The pitch was errant enough it gave the Angels a free stolen base, while Soler made a point of staring down López during the play.
The former teammates were soon going after each other, with Soler eventually getting wrestled to the ground by some members of the Braves. Meanwhile, Angels star Mike Trout pushed López out of the action.
Both combatants were ejected from the game.
Another angle, showing how the staredown turned into fisticuffs:
There is a degree of familiarity on both sides, as López used to play for the Angels and Soler used to play for the Braves. There was also familiarity in the sense that Soler’s homer was his fifth off López, his most against any pitcher in his MLB career.