Mariners, Angels personnel differ on what sparked brawl

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Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels personnel traded barbs following a wild brawl Sunday which led to eight people being ejected from the game.

The Mariners thought the pitch from Andrew Wantz that hit batter Jesse Winker was a part of a way to get back at the team for a pitch that came close to hitting Mike Trout’s head on Saturday night. Seattle manager Scott Servais thought the Angels’ using an opener in Wantz sent a message. Wantz also threw a pitch behind Julio Rodriguez.

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Seattle Mariners' J.P. Crawford, left, and several members of the Los Angeles Angels scuffle after Mariners' Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Anaheim, Calif.  (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

"That probably shouldn’t happen in the game, what happened out there today. Emotions running high, but it was pretty clear what was going on. They switched, put an opener in there to throw some balls at us. Got out of hand from there, and kind of a black eye," Servais told reporters.

Wantz said he was just overly excited and claimed the first pitch slipped.

"I was pretty amped up for my first start, and the first one kind of just got away from me," Wantz told reporters, via MLB.com. "I was sweaty. It's the first day game I've pitched in. That's that. The second one to Winker was a cut fastball inside and just yanked it. That's all I’ve got to say."

Angels interim manager Phil Nevin chalked the brawl up to the teams’ rivalry and the number of games that were played in such a short span. The Angels and Mariners playing eight games against each other in 11 days.

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