Unlike the NHL and the NFL, with collisions between players happen every single play of every game. In the game of baseball, most collisions happen between a bat and a ball. However, there are times where teams hit the boiling point and go Evander Holyfield on each other. Let’s dive into the top ten epic baseball fights in history.
10. Pedro Martinez Vs Don Zimmer
Game 3 of the 2003 ALCS brought the fuel to reignite the flame of the Redsox-Yankees rivalry. Martinez hit Yankees outfielder Karim Garcia during his at-bat. The Yankees got even by pegging Manny Ramirez. This ignited a benching clearing brawl which saw Pedro Martinez throw 72 year old Don Zimmer to the ground. Zimmer may be the oldest person to be involved in a fight in the MLB.
9. Robin Ventura Vs. Nolan Ryan
Most people in their mid 20s think they could take a 46 year-old in a fight. That was the case for 26 year-old Ventura. Instead, he got his ass kicked by the 46 year old flame thrower Ryan. Triggered by being hit by a pitch, Ventura started toward first base and then went straight at Ryan. Ryan would go on to put Ventura into to headlock and unloaded fists of fury on Ventura’s head. You should have just taken your base kid. This might be the most embarrassing fights in the MLB.
8. Bryce Harper Vs Hunter Strickland
Memorial day 2017. Strickland still crying over a homerun Harper blasted off of him in in 2014. Strickland threw a 98 mph fastball at Harper’s hip. Harper didn’t take it so well, as he threw his helmet toward Strickland, followed by punches and the benches. With one punch landing to Mike Morse‘s head which ended up forcing him to retire.
7. Juan Marichal VS John Roseboro
In the middle of the pennant race in 1965, Roseboro was throwing the ball back to Sandy Koufax. Marichal claimed that Roseboro was trying to hit him in the head, leading to a fight in which Marichal began to beat Roseboro with his bat. This turned into one of the nasty baseball fights to ever happen. We see where Myles Garrett got his idea from.
6. St. Louis Cardinals VS Cincinnati Reds
This fight ensued after comments made by Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips who said the Cardinals are ” little bitches who bitch and complain about everything”. Yadier Molina said screw that and didn’t let Phillips get in the batters box before he started chirping. The two of them got in one an others face and it took all of .4 seconds for the benches to spill over and a fight to start.
5.Jose Bautista Vs Rougned Odor
May 15, 2016, we all witnessed perhaps the hardest punch ever landed in a baseball fight. The fuel for this fight started a season prior when Bautista did what he does to 90% of the teams he faces, and blasted a three run homerun off the Rangers in the 2015 ALDS. Bautista then went on to hit the Rangers with a bat flip. The following year, the Rangers second baseman didn’t forget about what happen a few months ago. In a close game, Bautista went in for a dirty slide at second base and odor said piss of man and landed the most violent hook known to baseball and continued to unload on Bautista’s face. The play never even finished before benches poured into the field.
4. San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves
This could be really broke into multiple selections but I decided to group it all together as one. Talk about a shit show of a game. This game included the benches clearing a total of four times, 13 players ejected, both managers ejected, and a comparison to none other than Hitler… Yes Hitler. On August 12, 1984, the Padres and the Braves featured probably the most kick ass game of baseball ever. After the fight fest ended, Joe Torre, the manager of the Braves at the time, went on to compare Padres Manager Dick Williams to Hitler. This may just rival the Malice at the Palace.
3. Mexico Vs Canada
This is the only fight on this list that isn’t in the MLB. The World Baseball Classic is looked at as the equivalent to the World Cup for soccer. Usually in international tournaments like these, you normally talk about the world class talent that is being showcased without much bad blood. That wasn’t the case here. May 9, 2013, in a game during the WBC against Mexico and Canada, the Mexican pitcher Arnold Leon was told to hit the next batter. The batter from Canada was Rene Tosoni who was hit square in the spine. This sent everyone into a frenzy where there were bats being thrown from the on deck circle, to the dugouts, and fans going at in the stands. With the stage this game was played on, this may be the craziest baseball fight ever.
2. A-Roid Vs Jason Varitek
This is hands down my favorite baseball fight of all time. Even if you are not a fan of the Redsox or the Yankees, there is no way you can’t put this rivalry in the top five rivalries in all of sports. This fight shows exactly why this rivalry is among the greatest. July 24, 2004, Boston and New York met at Fenway Park. Alex Rodriguez was hit in the elbow with a fastball. A-rods roid rage took over his body and started cussing out Redsox pitcher Bronson Arroyo. All I can say is Varitek has balls for stepping in there and taken care of business. The scuffle went on for a few minutes and leaving Yankee pitcher Tanyon Sturtze with a bloody ear.
1. Amir Garrett VS Pittsburgh Pirates
This goes down as the ballsiest baseball fights I have ever watched. July 13, 2019, Amir Garrett was on the mound for the Reds and things seemed to be going fine until the Pirates dugout yelled something toward Garrett. Garrett rushed over the dugout said “F this” and took on the entire Pirates team by himself until Yasiel Puig came to his aid. Puig came over despite being traded mid-game to the Cleveland Indians.