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Longest Fighting Suspensions in MLB History After Jorge Soler and Reynaldo Lopez Get Punished

Karl Rasmussen|
Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López exchanged punches during the Braves-Angels game.
Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López exchanged punches during the Braves-Angels game. | William Navarro-Imagn Images

MLB handed down seven game suspensions to both Angels outfielder Jorge Soler and Braves pitcher Reynaldo López on Wednesday, stemming from a heated incident that occurred on Tuesday night.

Soler, who has spent part of two seasons in Atlanta, charged the mound after a pitch from López sailed into the backstop. It was the second pitch of the at-bat that got away from López, and Soler seemingly thought he was trying to throw at him.

Soler and López exchanged some haymakers on the mound, though López was actually still holding onto the baseball when he swung at the Angels DH. After benches cleared and players and coaches from both sides got in the mix, Soler and López were both ejected.

Though both parties have appealed their suspension, if upheld, they’ll go down among the longest suspensions ever issued by MLB for an on-field fight. Let’s take a look at the other melees that resulted in lengthy bans for players.

Longest suspensions for fighting in MLB history

Six games (reduced to five games upon appeal)- Tim Anderson (2023)

The infamous melee between Anderson and José Ramírez was one of the most memorable fights in MLB history. There was tension between the White Sox and Guardians, and after a play at second base, Anderson and Ramírez got in each other’s faces. Anderson gestured that he wanted to fight, which Ramírez happily obliged to, and knocked the shortstop onto his feet. Anderson was suspended for six games, though he appealed and got it reduced to five games, while Ramírez received a three-game ban.

Six games - Hunter Strickland (2017)

A fight involving one of MLB’s biggest stars isn’t exactly common, but Strickland and Bryce Harper squared up back in 2017. The incident was caused by Strickland, then a reliever for the Giants, intentionally threw at Harper, who proceeded to remove his helmet and throw it (highly inaccurately) in the direction of Strickland. That sparked an on-field brawl between the two sides, and Strickland received a six-game ban, while Harper was ultimately banned three games.

Seven games - Jesse Winker (2022)

A tense game between the Mariners and Angels broke into absolute mayhem after Andrew Wantz threw a pitch at Winker, who proceeded to strut straight towards the Anaheim dugout, breaking free from the home plate umpire who was trying to hold him back. Within seconds, a benches-clearing brawl started, with punches thrown. After the chaos settled down and MLB reviewed the situation, 12 players and coaches were issued suspensions. Winker’s seven-game ban was the longest handed out to a player.

Eight games - Amir Garrett (2019)

Back when Garrett was with the Reds, he was the catalyst for one of the most chaotic brawls in recent memory. After getting removed from the game in the ninth inning, Garrett handed the ball to manager David Bell and proceeded to sprint towards the Pirates’ dugout. Garrett threw, and missed, a massive left hook at the head of Trevor Williams, who had been chirping at him from the dugout. The Reds reliever was in the middle of a pile of several Pirates players before his teammates arrived. It was an ugly scene at the Great American Ball Park, and Garrett was issued an eight-game suspension for his actions. That wasn’t even the largest suspension handed out from the mayhem that occurred in Cincinnati, but more on that later.

Eight games - Rougned Odor (2016)

In one of the most renowned in-game fights in MLB history, Jose Bautista and Rougned Odor exchanged blows at second base, which led to a benches-clearing brawl between the Rangers and Blue Jays. Bautista had just been hit by a pitch, and he made an aggressive slide into second base in a retaliatory attempt to take out Odor. The Rangers second baseman gave him a hard shove and then leaned back and clocked him right in the jaw, sending Bautista stumbling backwards. For his actions, Odor was hit with an eight-game suspension, while Bautista was suspended for just one.

10 games - Keone Kela (2019)

Why was Amir Garrett so riled up during the Pirates-Reds clash in 2019? Well, Pittsburgh reliever Keone Kela threw a pitch near the head of Reds slugger Derek Dietrich a couple of innings earlier as a means of sending a message to Cincinnati. When all hell broke loose in the ninth inning, courtesy of Garrett’s decision to start a brawl outside the Pirates’ dugout, MLB determined that Kela’s headhunting antics were the catalyst of the mayhem and hit the reliever with a 10-game ban, the longest suspension among all involved parties.

10 games - Michael Barrett (2006)

The Cubs-White Sox rivalry reached new levels of animosity back in 2006 when the team’s catchers, A.J. Pierzynski and Michael Barrett, got into a heated fight after a collision at home plate. Pierzynski ran through Barrett and scored a run, which didn’t sit well with the Cubs’ backstop, who proceeded to to get in his face and throw a right hook at his head. Both teams rushed out onto the field, further escalating the situation. In the end, Pierzynski was issued a fine for his involvement, while Barrett was suspended 10 games.

10 games - Ian Kennedy (2013)

Eight players were suspended and 12 were fined stemming from a brawl in a 2013 game between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. It all started when Kennedy plunked Yasiel Puig in the head, prompting umpires to issue warnings to both dugouts. Later, Greinke retaliated by hitting Miguel Montero in the back, culminating in the benches clearing. Shortly after, Kennedy blatantly threw at Greinke when he came to the plate, resulting in an immediate ejection, and of course, a massive skirmish. A couple of days later, MLB handed Kennedy a 10-game suspension.

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Karl Rasmussen
KARL RASMUSSEN

Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.

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