04/08/26 03:26:00
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04/08 15:24 CDT Angels' Jorge Soler and Braves' Reynaldo Lpez receive 7-game
suspensions following brawl
Angels' Jorge Soler and Braves' Reynaldo Lpez receive 7-game suspensions
following brawl
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) --- Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and
Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lpez each received seven-game suspensions from
Major League Baseball on Wednesday, a day after they were ejected following
their participation in a brawl.
Michael Hill, MLB's senior vice president for on-field operations, also
announced that the players received undisclosed fines. The suspensions were
scheduled to begin with Wednesday's game but will be on hold as each player is
appealing.
Soler started in right field and batted fourth in Wednesday's finale of the
three-game series.
Soler homered off Lpez in the first inning of Tuesday night's game. In his
next at-bat, Soler was hit by a 96 mph fastball from Lpez. In the fifth, Soler
charged the mound after Lpez threw a high-and-inside wild pitch that tipped
off catcher Jonah Heim's mitt.
As Soler began walking toward the mound, Lpez held up his hands and 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 an interpreter, according to MLB.com. "That's why I went out
there."
The right-handed Lpez held the baseball in his right hand as he used it to
throw a punch at Soler's batting helmet.
Players and coaches stormed out of the dugouts and bullpens, and Braves manager
Walt Weiss tackled Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP with Atlanta.
"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 and Soler were Braves teammates during the second half of the 2024 season.
"It's just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded," Lpez said through
an interpreter, 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, which led 4-2 when the game was interrupted by the brawl, 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."
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
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