¯_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/EFOP2OTQCU
— José Rivera (@whoisjoserivera) May 15, 2016
ARLINGTON, Texas — A feud simmering since Jose Bautista’s bat flip in last year’s AL division series boiled over into a wild brawl in the final game of the series between Toronto and Texas on Sunday.
Jose Bautista is the absolute best. pic.twitter.com/r5wulmsXBq
— Ian Hunter (@BlueJayHunter) October 14, 2015
Bautista and Texas second baseman Rougned Odor got into a fistfight behind the bag after a hard slide by the Toronto slugger in the eighth inning. Players from both teams rushed the field as Odor landed a solid punch to Bautista’s face, that sent him stumbling backward.
When you hear someone say "We The North" for the first time all season after the 2nd round
(Vine via @TheCauldron) https://t.co/k6WRcDGamE
— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) May 15, 2016
“There’s some pent up emotion going on at Globe Life Park,” one announcer said as the rest of the teams rushed the field.
“Bautista got the worst of that exchange,” another announcer added.
The entire exchange can be seen at MLB.com.
Umpires needed about 10 minutes to restore order, and Blue Jays reliever Jesse Chavez hit Prince Fielder with the next pitch when the game resumed. He was ejected after an earlier warning for both teams when Bautista was hit by a pitch from Matt Bush.
Bautista and Odor were ejected Sunday along with Toronto’s Josh Donaldson and Texas bench coach Steve Buechele.
The conflicts seemed to overshadow the final outcome, a 7-6 Texas victory.