Major League Baseball has issued punishments to the two players who sparked a bench-clearing incident between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves.
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According to MLB, Braves pitcher Reynaldo López and Angels outfielder/designated hitter Jorge Soler have each received seven-game suspensions and undisclosed fines for their actions. However, both players appealed the penalties.
Lopez reached a settlement that reduced his suspension to only five games, effective immediately. The league noted that Soler's discipline will be held in abeyance until the appeal process is complete.
The Angels outfielder played in the series finale on Wednesday, which the Braves won 8-2. Atlanta took the overall win in the series 2-1.
The incident occurred during the bottom of the fifth inning in Tuesday's game between the two teams, which the Braves won 7-2.
Soler's first time at bat featured him hitting a home run off one of Lopez's pitches. The next time he made it to the plate, Lopez hit him with a 96-mph pitch. A high pitch in the bottom of the fifth then prompted a staredown between the Braves pitcher and Angels batter.
Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López are throwing PUNCHES in Anaheim as a brawl breaks out pic.twitter.com/Uj4kOk07Ow
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 8, 2026
The two men exchanged some words, which the audio equipment did not pick up, and then Soler charged the mound. Both men threw punches at each other; Lopez did so while still holding the baseball in his throwing hand.
Both benches cleared as the other members of the Braves and Angels got involved. They ultimately broke up the fight as two players pushed Lopez away and Braves manager Walt Weiss tackled Soler.
"I asked him if everything was OK and the answer he gave me, I didn't like it," Soler said about the fight, as translated by Jobel Jiménez. "That's why I went out there."
Lopez said through his interpreter that this was a shame. He said that he didn't have the intent of hitting his one-time Braves teammate.
