Angels-Mariners fight leads to 12 suspensions, sunflower seed launch after wild brawl
Tempers boiled over Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, which resulted in a benches-clearing brawl during the second inning of the Angels’ game against the Seattle Mariners.
Things got so crazy that at one point, a full crate of sunflower seeds were launched out onto the field.
In the top of the second inning, Angels pitcher Andrew Wantz drilled Mariners right fielder Jesse Winker in his leg with a pitch. That sent Winker off, who kept trying to get to Wantz before he was joined on the field by both dugouts and bullpens as a brawl broke out.
The benches have cleared between the Mariners and Angels 👀
(via @BallySportWest)pic.twitter.com/U20AkK0KfZ— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 26, 2022
That was the latest issue between the teams this series. Wantz threw behind Julio Rodriguez’s head in the first inning. That came after Mike Trout was furious with a pitch that came close to his head the night before.
By the time things calmed down, six players and both managers were ejected Sunday. As the umpires were sorting things out, Raisel Iglesias actually grabbed a big carton of sunflower seeds from the Angels’ dugout and chucked it onto the field.
Become ungovernable pic.twitter.com/BZvmsXV6BH
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) June 26, 2022
Winker walked off the field with a double gesture for the crowd, too.
Winker went full double birds to the crowd pic.twitter.com/ZORxoLm9ow
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 26, 2022
In total, Mariners manager Scott Servais and Angels interim manager Phil Nevin were tossed along with Winker, Wantz, JP Crawford, Iglesias, Julio Rodriguez and Ryan Tepera.
The Angels won the game 2-1, thanks to a Luis Rengifo home run and a David MacKinnon RBI single in the seventh. That marked their first win of the three-game series and their second victory in six games.
Phil Nevin suspended 10 games, 11 others handed down
Major League Baseball handed down a long list of suspensions on Monday night, starting with Nevin.
Nevin was hit with the largest suspension, and will miss the next 10 games. Among other surprise suspensions include the Angels' team interpreter and several position coaches.
The full list:
Angels manager Phil Nevin: 10 games
Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker: 7 games
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon: 5 games
Angels pitching coach Dom Chiti: 5 games
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford: 5 games
Angels pitcher Andrew Wantz: 3 games
Angels pitcher Ryan Tepera: 3 games
Angels pitcher Raisel Iglesias: 2 games
Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez: 2 games
Angels bench coach Ray Montgomery: 2 games
Angels interpreter Manny Del Campo: 2 games
Angels catching coach Bill Haselman: 1 game
Servais, though he was ejected, was not suspended at all. In total, 12 players or coaches were suspended.
If anyone elects to appeal the suspension, it will be deferred until that is settled. Rendon is currently on the injured list, and will serve his suspension when he returns next season. He can not sit on the bench for seven games.