Benches Clear After Braves and Angels Brawl

Jorge Soler charged the mound after being hit by a pitch, sparking a wild melee between the two teams.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:05pm

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Tensions boiled over during Tuesday night's game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels, leading to a bench-clearing brawl after Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler was hit by a pitch from Braves pitcher Reynaldo López. Soler charged the mound, prompting both teams to join the scuffle, which included Braves manager Walt Weiss tackling Soler to the ground in an attempt to break up the fight. Both Soler and López were ejected from the game, which the Braves went on to win 7-2.

Why it matters

Bench-clearing brawls are rare in today's game, as MLB has cracked down on on-field altercations in recent years. This incident highlights the intense rivalries and emotions that can still boil over between teams, even in the modern era of baseball.

The details

The incident began in the fifth inning after Soler hit a home run off López earlier in the game. In Soler's third at-bat, López threw a pitch that sailed high and tight, angering Soler. The two exchanged words before Soler charged the mound, sparking a melee that saw both teams' benches and bullpens empty onto the field. Braves manager Walt Weiss was seen tackling Soler in an attempt to break up the fight.

  • The incident occurred in the fifth inning of Tuesday night's game between the Braves and Angels.
  • Soler had previously hit a home run off López earlier in the game.

The players

Jorge Soler

The Los Angeles Angels designated hitter who charged the mound after being hit by a pitch from Braves pitcher Reynaldo López.

Reynaldo López

The Atlanta Braves pitcher who hit Jorge Soler with a pitch, sparking the bench-clearing brawl.

Walt Weiss

The Atlanta Braves manager who tackled Jorge Soler in an attempt to break up the fight.

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What they’re saying

“I asked him if everything was OK, and the answer he gave me, I didn't like it. That's why I went out there.”

— Jorge Soler, Los Angeles Angels Designated Hitter

“I love Soler. We were teammates here. But that's a big man. I just felt I 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, because he was on a warpath.”

— Walt Weiss, Atlanta Braves Manager

“It's just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded. On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. So again, it's just a shame.”

— Reynaldo López, Atlanta Braves Pitcher

What’s next

MLB is expected to review the incident and hand down suspensions to the players involved in the brawl in the coming days.

The takeaway

This bench-clearing brawl highlights the intense rivalries and emotions that can still boil over in today's game, even as MLB has cracked down on on-field altercations in recent years. The incident will likely result in suspensions for the players involved as the league seeks to maintain order and sportsmanship on the field.