Jorge Soler appealing seven-game suspension after bench-clearing brawl vs. Braves

Q: What led to Jorge Soler's seven-game suspension?

Jorge Soler's suspension resulted from his involvement in a bench-clearing brawl with Braves pitcher Reynaldo López during a game on April 7, 2026.

Q: How did the brawl between Jorge Soler and Reynaldo López start?

The brawl began after Soler dodged a pitch from López that nearly hit him in the face, escalating tensions from earlier incidents in the game.

Q: What are the consequences of Jorge Soler's appeal against his suspension?

If Jorge Soler's appeal is unsuccessful, he will serve the seven-game suspension, impacting his availability for the Los Angeles Angels during that period.

Q: When did the bench-clearing brawl between the Angels and Braves occur?

The bench-clearing brawl occurred on April 7, 2026, during a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Jorge Soler #12 of the Los Angeles Angels after the benches clear during an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - The fallout fromTuesday's bench-clearing brawl between Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López has rolled in.

Both Soler and López have been suspended for seven games for their roles in the altercation, per a report fromESPN's Jeff Passan.

The incident in question happened with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Soler, who hit a two-run home run in his first at-bat and was hit by a pitch on the hand in his second, dodged another up-and-in slider from López, this time one that whipped past his face.

Jorge Soler #12 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates after hitting a home run during an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California.

Steven Park - The Sporting Tribune

Jorge Soler #12 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates after hitting a home run during an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California.

Soler clearly took issue with the high cheese after being hit the last time and stared López down from the plate. Some words were said and López threw his arms up in the air.

An attack in Anaheim

Then it was off. Soler charged the mound and in a split second both hitter and pitcher were throwing full overhand punches at each other, López doing so with the baseball still in his hand. The benches cleared soon after and Soler was stopped from going after López any further by none other than Atlanta manager Walt Weiss, who wrapped up Soler's legs during the rumble.

Both Soler and López are appealing their respective suspensions.

Jorge Soler #12 of the Los Angeles Angels fights Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves during an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California.

Steven Park - The Sporting Tribune

Jorge Soler #12 of the Los Angeles Angels fights Reynaldo López #40 of the Atlanta Braves during an MLB game against the Atlanta Braves at Angel Stadium on April 7, 2026 in Anaheim, California.

The brawl was an odd intersection of Angels and Braves history. Soler played two season with Atlanta in 2021 and later in 2024, winning a World Series and World Series MVP with the team in '21. Weiss, the manager who tackled him in the brawl, was once Soler's bench coach.

Team history

López played for the Angels in the tail-end of the 2023 season after being acquired from the White Sox, posting a healthy 2.77 ERA of 13 innings in relief.

App

Since both players are appealing their suspensions, they're still eligible to play until a final decision is made. Soler made the most of his extended playing time in the Angels' Wednesday game against the Braves, where he belted a solo home run to left field for the Angels' first run of the game in the second inning to the delight of the sparse day game crowd.

There's been no shortage of excitement in Anaheim so far this season. From Jo Adell's historic three-home run robbery to the hot start of Mike Trout and now the rumble at the Big A, the Angels are becoming must-watch TV one way or the other.