Baseball players have a ‘boxing fight’ in the middle of a Major League game

Tim Anderson threw down his glove to fight. Shortly after, José Ramírez threw it at him.

The White Sox’s Anderson and the Rangers’ Ramirez got into a fight at second base, sparking a bench-clearing brawl that led to six ejections during the sixth inning of a game Chicago won 7-7 on Saturday. 4 to Cleveland.

Ramirez connected with a right hand to the face of Anderson, who fell backwards. He came after a long fight, one of the worst the majors have seen in recent years.

“I knew from the moment I stepped foot in the clubhouse that these teams don’t like each other,” said starter Noah Syndergaard, acquired by Cleveland last week in a trade. “And I don’t think this is going to be resolved anytime soon.”

Cleveland manager Terry Francona, third base coach Mike Sarbaugh and closer Emmanuel Clase were ejected, as was Chicago’s Cuban manager Pedro Grifol, for their actions after the brawl, which included several new attempts at fighting in the infield and in foul territory.

“It’s not fun, but the guys are the guys,” Francona said.

It took 15 minutes for the umpires to restore order.

The altercation began when Ramirez slid headfirst into second base, hitting an RBI double. Anderson stepped on top of Ramirez, who was between the shortstop’s legs.

Anderson kept his glove on the back of the Dominican, who stood up, pointed a finger at Anderson’s face and yelled something at him.

They both went on guard to fight with their fists. Anderson dropped the glove and took the first punch. The fight began and the shock came to the face of the Chicago player.

“I felt like I gave him one,” Ramírez said. “I understand that he is not respecting the game. Not since yesterday, but he has been doing that for a long time and he has been told. I myself have spoken to him, I have told him that he cannot do that, because he can injure a boy… What he did is not right, he hit me very hard, I corrected him and he invited me to fight. If he invited me to fight he had to execute ”.

Meanwhile, players in both dugouts and bullpens ran onto the Progressive Field field. Sarbaugh and Clase were the protagonists of the subsequent altercations during the interruption.

Some White Sox coaches forcibly took Anderson away, who nevertheless returned from the clubhouse minutes later. His partner Andrew Vaughn carried him downstairs after the last confrontation.

The White Sox led 5-1 when the brawl ensued.

After the punch that dropped him, Anderson fumed and tried hard to get back at Ramirez, Cleveland’s star third baseman. Several Chicago players tried to stop him.

Tempers had temporarily cooled before Francona and Grifol began arguing. This led to new shoving between players and coaches, while the crowd lit up.

It was necessary for the umpires to spend several minutes to analyze what had happened, before announcing the expulsions.