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Los Angeles Angels veteran outfielder Jorge Soler found himself in the center of a bench-clearing brawl during Tuesday night’s 7-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
Soler had hit a two-run home run off Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez in his first at-bat then was hit by a pitch in his second at-bat of the game. Soler is 14-for-23 with five home runs and three doubles against Lopez all-time.
And so, when Lopez threw a pitch high and inside toward Soler in the fifth inning, Soler charged the mound. Lopez fought back, holding the ball in one hand and throwing punches with the other.
“I asked him if everything was OK and the answer he gave me, I didn’t like it,” Soler said after the game through interpreter Jobel Jiménez, per MLB. “That’s why I went out there.”
Braves manager Walt Weiss and catching coach Dustin Garneau tackled Soler during the brawl. Meanwhile, Angels outfielder Mike Trout helped break up the fight by holding Lopez back.
Angels manager Kurt Suzuki defended Soler’s actions after the game.
“I don’t blame Jorge one bit,” Suzuki said, per MLB. “You get thrown at your head, you have a family, a career. It’s dangerous. I know it happens. But if you ask any hitter and a ball gets thrown near their head, especially after hitting a homer, it’s not good.”
Lopez told reporters after the game that he did not intend to hit Soler.
“It’s just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded,” Lopez said through interpreter Franco García, per MLB. “On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point.”
MLB Suspended Soler and Lopez
On Wednesday, MLB suspended both Soler and Lopez for seven games each. Both players are reportedly appealing the suspensions, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Soler has started in all 12 of the Angels’ game this season. He primarily serves as a designated hitter but has also made two starts in right field. Therefore, his suspension is a major blow to the Angels’ starting lineup.
Photo Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images
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