Major League Baseball has issued disciplinary action against Los Angeles Angels slugger Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez following a heated altercation that cleared both benches during Tuesday evening’s game in Anaheim, California.
Soler, who serves as the Angels’ outfielder and designated hitter, received a seven-game suspension along with an undisclosed fine. Lopez initially faced a seven-game ban as well, but successfully appealed to reduce his punishment to five games plus a fine.
The Angels player has chosen to challenge his suspension, which means the penalty will remain on hold until his appeal process concludes. The suspension was originally set to take effect during Wednesday’s series finale.
The confrontation began in the fifth inning when Lopez delivered a high inside fastball that deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt and rolled to the backstop, allowing baserunner Nolan Schanuel to move into scoring position. Soler, who had already connected for a two-run home run in the opening frame and been hit by a pitch on his left hand earlier in the game, became visibly upset with the location of the pitch.
After staring down the Braves pitcher for several moments, Soler charged toward the pitcher’s mound. The two players engaged in a physical altercation, exchanging punches that appeared to miss their targets as teammates from both dugouts rushed onto the field. Lopez defended himself using his glove while throwing punches with his pitching hand, which was still gripping the baseball.
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss ultimately helped end the melee by tackling Soler near the first base line.
At the time of his ejection, Lopez had thrown 80 pitches across 4 2/3 innings, recording seven strikeouts while giving up two unearned runs on three hits and two walks. The Braves went on to win the contest 7-2.
Notably, Soler earned World Series MVP honors with Atlanta in 2021 but has since played for three different organizations, including a return stint with the Braves in 2024 before joining the Angels.
