Top 10 Craziest Baseball Fights Ever
#10: Tyler Austin vs. Joe Kelly
2018 Like most baseball fights, this one started from one slight that festered into a huge blow-up. Making his way to second, Yankee Tyler Austin pulled off a controversial slide that put the Red Sox in a fighting mood. It’s fair to say if you mouth off on the diamond, you should prepare to tussle. On his next at bat, Austin got a less than surprising rebuttal from the opposing team’s pitcher. This sent the player into a rage, charging pitcher Joe Kelly and emptying the benches for a second time. Even if the dugouts empty out once, there’s nothing stopping both clubs from doing it again. For this edgy matchup, it was clear that each squad was just waiting for an excuse to rumble.
#9: Ten Cent Beer Night
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1974 This 1974 game between Cleveland and Texas remains infamous for its connection to this promotional campaign. With drunk fans loading up on cheap beer, Cleveland Stadium wasn’t prepared for the chaos that happened next. After several instances of fans rushing the field and throwing firecrackers, the tense game hit its peak when the Rangers tried to protect their outfielder Jeff Burroughs from an unruly spectator. As the bat-wielding players took the field, so did a swarm of fans armed with their own weapons. A full-scale riot stopped the game, with police called in to stop it. Leading to a forfeit and several arrests, this baseball fight was one of the most memorable instances of fan participation.
#8: Mo Vaughn Checks George Bell
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1993 In 1993, the formidable George Bell stepped up to the plate against Red Sox pitcher Aaron Sele. Dodging one pitch, Bell receives another wild ball at his head. Charging the mound, the White Sox batter books it toward Sele. Before he gets there, Mo Vaughn body checks the runner from out of nowhere. The move looks straight out of a hockey game, in what undoubtedly caught the rage-filled batter by surprise. Protecting his pitcher, the first baseman’s split-second maneuver only drew the ire of White Sox teammates looking for revenge. While this prompted both rosters to rush the field, it could’ve been a lot worse. This is one MLB fight that was saved by the likes of quick thinking and a little improvisation.
#7: Armando Benitez vs. Yankees
1998 It’s no secret that most MLB brawls happen after a pitch connects with a batter. Things weren’t any different when Tino Martinez took the plate and got clocked by pitcher Armando Benitez. The Yankees bench gets up before the two can even reach each other, with the Orioles’ dugout following suit. At this point, most baseball fights fizzle out as they await an official call from the umpire. However, this altercation was only getting started. Not only does the melee start back up, it spills into one of the dugouts. If there was any doubt that both teams were carrying grudges, the endless punching put that uncertainty to bed. Following a number of ejections, this melee was the definition of out of control.
#6: Yankees vs. Red Sox
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1976 In a particularly memorable bout between rivals, Yankees runner Lou Piniella and Carlton Fisk got into it after a brutal play at home plate. With Fisk blocking the lane, Piniella hit the catcher like a Mack Truck. Naturally, this didn’t sit well with the Red Sox player as he swung at his Yankee rival. Stemming from a series of previous altercations, it was only a matter of time before these two ball clubs would throw punches again. Pitcher Bill Lee kick starts the brawl again after some choice words, pulled away from the scuffle with an injury. While it wasn’t the first time these teams collided, this particular fight marked another historic continuation of their rivalry.
#5: Bautista vs. Odor
2016 Here’s yet another team rivalry that got carried away, with the Texas Rangers bitter about their previous playoff series with the Toronto Blue Jays. José Bautista’s infamous bat flip made more than a few enemies, giving this matchup the following year an added intensity. When the slugger slid into second base and into Rougned Odor, old wounds were opened. The second baseman throws a solid jab at Bautista’s jaw before each squad sprints over. If you thought the punch looked bad at first glance, just wait until you see the instant replay. This moment only made their feud more epic, guaranteeing that it wouldn't be the last time these squads would square up.
#4: Pedro Martinez vs. Don Zimmer
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2003 In 2003, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees rivalry hit another peak as the two teams battled it out in the ALCS. It all started when star pitcher Pedro Martinez drilled batter Karim Garcia. Somehow, the two clubs remained civil after this point. The peace wouldn’t last, however, as Yankees Roger Clemens threw a pitch a little too close for Manny Ramirez’s liking. Setting Ramirez off, the Red Sox outfielder went for Clemens as teammates held him back. Even then, the craziest moment was still yet to come. Yankees coach Don Zimmer approaches Martinez, but the pitcher shoves the 72-year-old to the ground. To say the fight got ugly would be an understatement, but thankfully nobody was seriously hurt.
#3: Nolan Ryan vs. Robin Ventura
1993 In his final year in the MLB, pitcher Nolan Ryan was no slouch when it came to throwing the heat. Take this fight with White Sox hitter Robin Ventura as all the evidence you need that he hadn’t lost his edge. When a pitch nails Ventura, he decides to square up against the 46-year-old. Most people would think a two-decade gap between fighters wouldn’t make it fair, but this wasn’t any ordinary matchup. Getting the third baseman in a headlock, Ryan delivers a few impressive blows to Ventura before it’s all over. Each bench comes out in full force, turning the boxing match into a pile-on. In the end, the Hall-of-Famer held his own and proved he hadn’t lost any of his spunk.
#2: Amir Garrett vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
2019 Few fights in the history of Major League baseball escalated quicker than this one between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the middle of a pressurized game, Amir Garrett takes the mound in a frenzy. Talking with a coach, the pitcher decides to make a break for it and charge the Pirates. This might be one of the only instances where a player willingly charged the opponent’s dugout. Throwing a haymaker at a cluster of Pittsburgh players, Garrett connects before landing in the middle of a massive battle. Setting off a chain reaction, everybody gets involved before the umpires restore order to the diamond. Among the boldest beginnings in baseball fight history, this brawl was nothing short of insanity. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Juan Marichal vs. John Roseboro, 1965 Marichal Hits Roseboro with a Bat in an Infamous Fight Alex Rodriguez vs. Jason Varitek, 2004 A Yankees & Red Sox Rivalry Gets Physical as Varitek Goes for A-Rod Mexico vs. Canada, 2013 The World Baseball Classic Turns South When Both Countries Declare War Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers, 2013 Kennedy Drills Greinke in the Head & Draws Out the Dodgers’ Bullpen Angels vs. Dodgers, 1999 A Bunt Turns into a Brawl as Chan Ho Park Challenges Pitcher Tim Belcher
#1: Padres vs. Braves
1984 There’s rarely been such a chaotic baseball brawl as the one that happened in 1984. The Padres met the Braves for a hectic game, punctuated by a few ejections for intentionally hitting batters. Still, that paled in comparison to what happened after reliever Craig Lefferts hit Pascual Perez. Setting off a firestorm, both benches emptied faster than a rocket as they duked it out. Several fights lined the infield as the players went nuts. By the end of the whole debacle, multiple arrests were made as a number of excitable fans took their chance to join the party. It might not be an honor to be considered the craziest baseball fight in history, but this moment certainly takes the top prize.
