The Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners played a spirited series over the weekend, and the two teams got into a bench-clearing brawl when tempers boiled over on Sunday.
Angels pitcher Andrew Wantz hit Jesse Winker with a fastball to lead off the top of the 2nd inning. The pitch drilled Winker in the backside and appeared intentional. Winker was not happy and began walking toward the Los Angeles dugout. That’s when things got out of hand.
Typically we only see shoving and shouting when the benches clear during an MLB game, but actual swings were thrown this time. Anthony Rendon, who is out for the season with a wrist injury, was the first person to get at Winker when Winker marched toward the Angels’ dugout. Rendon had a cast on his right arm but fought off Winker with his left.
Tensions were high out of the gate, as Wantz threw behind Seattle outfielder Julio Rodriguez in the top of the first. Warnings were issued to both teams.
The Angels were likely responding after Mariners right-hander Erik Swanson threw a pitch near Mike Trout’s head during the bottom of the ninth inning on Saturday night. Trout was openly upset about the pitch after the game.
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