MLB Announces Jorge Soler, Reynaldo López Punishment Decision After Fight

It didn't take long for Major League Baseball to come out with a punishment decision after benches cleared between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

It was an ugly affair in the fifth inning of Tuesday night's contest. Angels slugger Jorge Soler launched a first inning homer on Tuesday night and then was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the third inning. In the fifth inning, the tensions boiled over after Braves hurler Reynaldo López tossed threw up and in to the backstop with Soler up to bat. That was the end and Soler charged the mound.

An all out BRAWL has broken out between the Angels and Braves 👀

All benches cleared!
pic.twitter.com/gpgVab5PjE
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 8, 2026

Braves 62-year-old manager Walt Weiss hopped in and tackled 6’3” Jorge Soler after benches cleared 😭🤯

Weiss is a Taekwondo black belt 🔥

(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/TGqglE20d8
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 8, 2026

Was it the right call?

Apr 7, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jorge Soler (12) celebrates his home run with teammates in the dugout during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images | William Navarro-Imagn Images

The benches cleared and punches were thrown. On top of that, it looked like López used the baseball while swinging at Soler to add more to his punch, which certainly isn't great.

BREAKING NOW: Jorge Soler y Reynaldo López fueron suspendidos por 7 partidos por el incidente de ayer entre Braves-Angels. Ambos jugadores apelaron a su suspensión.pic.twitter.com/k4Jjgmz2XF
— Antonio Puesán (@antoniopuesan) April 8, 2026

On Wednesday afternoon, the league weighed in and suspended both for seven games, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. It was also reported that both are appealing the decision.

"Los Angeles Angels DH Jorge Soler and Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo López have been suspended seven games for the big brawl in Anaheim last night in which Soler charged the mound and López punched him while holding a baseball in his hand.. Both are appealing," Passan wrote.

It's hard to imagine that either is going to win their appeal. Arguably, swinging at someone with a baseball in your hand is a bit worse than swinging at someone with just their hand. But that's semantics. All in all, both guys took part in the fight and surely will be suspended in some way by the time the appeal is heard.

The decision in general was a bit surprising. López is a starter who takes the mound every fifth game. Soler is in the lineup pretty much each day. Soler initiated by charging the mound, but the punishment doesn't seem to be equitable, especially when you take into account that López had a baseball in his hand when he was swinging at Soler. It will be interesting to see how the appeals work out for both players, but both will end up in trouble either way.

You never want to see the tensions boil over like they did on Tuesday night between these two teams. We've gotten the initial punishment decision from the team. Now, we wait to see what the response will be as Soler and López appeal.