Major League Baseball did not take kindly to the fight between Angels slugger Jorge Soler and Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (footage several posts below), issuing each a seven-game suspension without pay. Each player was also fined an undisclosed amount, though there was no clarification on whether that was supplemental to not being paid (that salary goes to MLB for charitabe causes). Both players are appealing.
Soler, who had homered off Lopez and then been hit by him in the next plate appearance, took exception to an inside pitch that sailed over the catcher's head. Soler then chirped at Lopez before charging the mound.
My take: The league provided no explanation for its reasoning, so for the suspensions to be equal, they must believe Lopez was intentionally throwing at Soler, who for his part is properly suspended the seven games for charging the mound and being the first to throw punches.
THE ASYLUM
Brawl suspensions
Major League Baseball did not take kindly to the fight between Angels slugger Jorge Soler and Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez (footage several posts below), issuing each a seven-game suspension without pay. Each player was also fined an undisclosed amount, though there was no clarification on whether that was supplemental to not being paid (that salary goes to MLB for charitabe causes). Both players are appealing.
Soler, who had homered off Lopez and then been hit by him in the next plate appearance, took exception to an inside pitch that sailed over the catcher's head. Soler then chirped at Lopez before charging the mound.
My take: The league provided no explanation for its reasoning, so for the suspensions to be equal, they must believe Lopez was intentionally throwing at Soler, who for his part is properly suspended the seven games for charging the mound and being the first to throw punches.
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