MLB Benches Clearing in 2016

SI Staff | Sep 21, 2016

MLB Benches Clearing in 2016 /

MLB Benches Clearing in 2016

Yankees at Blue Jays — Sept. 26, 2016

The Yankees and Blue Jays brawled after a series of hit-by-pitches. The scuffle came directly after New York’s Luis Severino plunked Justin Smoak.

Giants at Dodgers — Sept. 19, 2016

San Francisco ace Madison Bumgarner told Los Angeles’ Yasiel Puig “Don’t look at me!” after retiring Puig for the final out of the seventh. A confused Puig reacted and the benches emptied. The Dodgers rallied for a 2-1 win after Bumgarner’s departure, and the next day mocked their rival with brand-new T-shirts bearing Bumgarner’s fighting words.

Marlins at Braves — Sept. 14, 2016

Miami pitcher Jose Fernandez hit the dirt after a pitch from Atlanta’s Jose Ramirez that was in retaliation for Fernandez hitting the Braves’ Nick Markakis earlier in the evening.

Rays at Blue Jays — Sept. 12, 2016

Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

It started as some innocent talking between Tampa Bay’s Steven Souza, who had just made the game’s last out on a deep fly ball, and Toronto catcher Russell Martin, who told Souza that he thought the ball was going out of the ballpark. Souza thought Martin was chastising him for admiring the blast but even as those two worked out the misunderstanding, Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki came in to yell at Souza.

Yankees at Red Sox — Aug. 9, 2016

Chase Headley had words for Boston pitcher Rick Porcello after being thrown out at third base., but Porcello and Boston got the final word in a 5-3 win.

Mets at Yankees — Aug. 3, 2016

Mark Teixeira didn’t like being hit by the Mets’ Steven Matz after having hit a home run off Matz earlier in the game. Tempers cooled and the Yankees went on to win the Subway Series matchup.

Braves at Cubs — July 7, 2016

Atlanta’s Jeff Francoeur got into a discussion with Chicago catcher Willson Contreras after being pitched inside. It came in an extra-innings loss that was part of the Cubs’ only real slide of the season, a 6-15 stretch before the All-Star break.

Royals at Orioles — June 7, 2016

Yordano Ventura, no stranger to bench-clearing incidents, was in the middle of another. After throwing inside twice to Baltimore’s Manny Machado earlier in the game and hearing about it from Machado after he flew out, Ventura drilled the Orioles’ star third baseman with a 99 mph fastball. Machado rushed the mound and threw a punch. Both players were ejected and suspended.

Giants at Padres — May 17, 2016

In his first dustup of the year, Madison Bumgarner stared at San Diego first baseman Will Myers after striking him out in the third inning. The players had to be separated but later in the game, after Bumgarner reached on a walk, the two seemed to be joking about it.

Blue Jays at Rangers — May 15, 2016

Richard W. Rodriguez/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS via Getty Images

One of the most memorable brawls in baseball history really started the previous October, when Toronto’s Jose Bautista punctuated his series-winning three-run homer in Game 5 of the ALDS with an epic bat flip. The Rangers got their revenge in Texas, first when pitcher Matt Bush hit Bautista with a pitch and then when second baseman Rougned Odor hit Bautista with a right cross after the Blue Jays star slid in hard at second base to break up a double play.

Twins at White Sox — May 6, 2016

Jose Abreu didn’t like it when Minnesota’s Trevor May hit him in the ribs with a 97 mph fastball in the bottom of the eighth, just after the Twins’ Byung Ho Park had been hit by Chicago’s Nate Jones in the top half. Order was restored and the White Sox won 10-4.

Giants-Diamondbacks — April 21, 2016

When San Francisco lefty Josh Osich hit Arizona’s David Peralta for a second straight day, the teams gathered at midfield for a discussion. The Diamondbacks won the game to complete a four-game series sweep.

Published Sep 21, 2016

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