“Holy Smokes”: Jesse Winker and LA Angels’ bench throw punches after Andrew Wantz’s HBP


“Holy Smokes”: Jesse Winker and LA Angels’ bench throw punches after Andrew Wantz’s HBP

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During the Seattle Mariners- LA Angels game on Sunday, Jesse Winker took a 91.1 mph fastball from Andrew Wantz off his right hip in the top of the second inning. Within a few minutes, tensity reached an ill-favoured tipping point when both benches and bullpens cleared, punches were thrown hither and thither from players and coaches on each team and multiple ejections ensued after.

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The quarrel took place in front of the LA Angels’ dugout on the third-base line and lasted more than six minutes, paused for a while but that was only a breather for the players, and then it again resumed in the fair territory between the mound and third base, stopping play for approximately 17 minutes in an eventual 2-1 Angels win at Angel Stadium.

Andrew Wantz had already been issued a warning in the first when threw a 92.9 mph fastball behind star rookie Julio Rodríguez, missing his head by only a few inches, but it all started when Mike Trout dodged an up-and-in, 95 mph fastball from Mariner’s reliever Erik Swanson. That is where the series took a filthy turn.

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Jesse Winker and Anthony Rendon exchanged blows as the scuffle cleared both benches

Jesse Winker fight
Jesse Winker and Angels brawl

The following players and staff were ejected:

Mariners: Scott Servais, Jesse Winker, Julio Rodríguez, J.P. Crawford

Angels: Phil Nevin, Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Tepera, Andrew Wantz

Raisel Iglesias threw a container of sunflower seeds onto the field revealing his frustration, he said, “I don’t have [any issues] with Winker,” through interpreter Manny Del Campo. “I didn’t say anything to him. I don’t know why they ejected me, because I didn’t throw a punch, I didn’t do anything. So that’s why I was upset.”

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“It didn’t really matter what was said,” Jesse Winker said. “They threw a ball over Julio’s head, and I wasn’t really trying to talk to anybody.”

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“I was pretty amped up for my first start, and the first one kind of just got away from me,” Andrew Wantz said. “I was sweaty. It’s the first-day game I’ve pitched in. That’s that. The second one to Winker was a cut fastball inside and just yanked it. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

Mike Trout was anyway upset by what happened a day before when he was thrown at by Swanson. Trout said, “If you can’t pitch inside, don’t pitch inside. If you’re going to hit me, hit me in the ribs, don’t hit me in the head. I don’t know if that was the intent, but anything at the head, you don’t do that.”

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