04/08/26 03:28:00
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04/08 03:22 CDT Brawl breaks out between Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lpez and
Angels slugger Jorge Soler
Brawl breaks out between Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lpez and Angels slugger Jorge
Soler
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --- Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lpez and Los Angeles
Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler were ejected after getting into a brawl
Tuesday night.
Soler homered off Lpez in the first inning, then was hit by a 96 mph fastball
from the right-hander his next time up. In the fifth, Soler charged the mound
after Lpez threw a high-and-inside wild pitch that tipped off catcher Jonah
Heim's mitt.
At first, Lpez held up his hands as the two glared at each other before both
started throwing punches.
"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 MLB.com. "That's why I went out
there."
The benches and bullpens emptied as players from both teams tried to separate
the two. Atlanta manager Walt Weiss was among those who tackled Soler, the 2021
World Series MVP with the Braves.
"I love Soler. We were teammates here," Weiss said. "But that's a big man, and
so I just felt I've gotta get him off his feet because he's gonna hurt
somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off
his feet, yeah, because he was on a warpath."
Lpez was still holding the baseball when he landed a punch on Soler's batting
helmet.
The two were teammates in Atlanta during the second half of the 2024 season.
"It's just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded," Lpez said through
a translator, according to MLB.com. "On my part, there was never any intent to
hit him at any point. So, again, it's just a shame."
Atlanta led 4-2 when the fight occurred and went on to a 7-2 victory.
Soler's two-run shot in the first made him 14 for 23 with five homers and three
doubles against Lpez.
"Obviously, I have good numbers against him," Soler said. "After the home run
and getting hit by a pitch after that, and then he missed way too high and
close to my head. At this level, you can't miss like that."
Weiss understood why Soler was mad.
"I know it didn't look good because of Soler's numbers against Lpey, and he
hit a homer, he hit him. It didn't look good," Weiss said. "Lpey's not
throwing at him. I don't allow our pitchers to throw at people just because
they can't get 'em out. Our job is to get 'em out. But I understand why Soler
got angry. And he's a really mild-mannered guy. So, I think the switch flipped
for him.
"There was no intent there. I just think that Lpey's just overthrowing,
because he's had a hard time getting him out. But he's certainly not trying to
hit him," Weiss added.
Lpez pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing three hits with seven strikeouts and two
walks.
"Obviously, guy's got good numbers off Lpez, and hits a homer his first
at-bat. Gets drilled up high in the wrist his second at-bat and then third one
takes a good swing and then throws the next one head-high. It wasn't over his
head but it was head-high coming in," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said.
"I don't blame Jorge one bit. He went out there and words were exchanged and
Jorge went out," Suzuki added. "You get thrown at your head, you have a family,
your career, you know, it's dangerous. I know it's part of the game. I know it
happens."
The Angels won 6-2 on Monday in the opener of the three-game series. Tuesday
night's game was more eventful, to say the least.
"It gets your juices flowing a little bit, on both teams I'm sure," Weiss said.
"So, as long as nobody gets hurt, it's kind of a good time. But as long as
nobody gets hurt. But yeah, I was proud of our guys the way we handled
everything tonight."
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
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