MLB Player Brawls Moments After Being Traded to New Team

Moments after word leaked that Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig had been traded to the Cleveland Indians, he helped his old team out in a brawl against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The benches-clearing brawl in the ninth inning started after Reds pitcher Amir Garrett, who had replaced teammate Jared Hughes after he plunked Pittsburgh’s Starling Marte with his first pitch, went over to the Pirates dugout looking for a fight.

The Pirates obliged and the benches cleared. Puig, who was dealt to Cleveland for starter Trevor Bauer just before the fight began, threw several punches during the brawl and was one of five players ejected afterward.

Brawl in Cincinnati:

For the 2nd time this year, Yasiel Puig is in the middle of a Reds-Pirates altercation.

This happened just moments after it was announced that Puig was traded to Cleveland on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/7j4zhoFODC

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 31, 2019

Last night’s brawl was the second benches-clearing incident between the two teams this season.

The Reds had to trade for Trevor Bauer after Amir Garrett attempted to fight the entire Pirates team and was never seen again pic.twitter.com/Pvv9Ar798I

— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) July 31, 2019

“I can’t tell you how disappointing it is that it’s still going on and nothing has been done about it,” Reds manager David Bell said after his eighth ejection of the season, the most in the majors. “It’s a shame that this is allowed, and they’re able to get away with it. They celebrate it. They support it. They clearly allow it. I don’t know if they teach it, but they allow it. It’s dangerous.”

Bell was actually tossed from the game the inning before the fracas but returned to the field for the brawl, quite a rare feat. He likely faces a suspension for coming back so he could go after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle.

The two teams play seven more times this season, including 12:35 p.m. today.

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