ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López each received seven-game suspensions from Major League Baseball on Wednesday, a day after they were ejected following their participation in a brawl.
Michael Hill, MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations, also announced that the players received undisclosed fines. The suspensions were scheduled to begin with Wednesday's game but were put on hold pending appeals from each player.
MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association reached an agreement to have López's suspension reduced to five games, effective immediately. With an off day, López will be able to keep his scheduled next start for Atlanta.
Soler started in right field and batted fourth in Wednesday's finale of the three-game series.
Soler homered off López in the first inning of Tuesday night's game. In his next at-bat, Soler was hit by a 96 mph fastball from López. In the fifth, Soler charged the mound after López threw a high-and-inside wild pitch that tipped off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt.
As Soler began walking toward the mound, López held up his hands and the two glared at each other before both started throwing punches.
“I asked him if everything was OK and the answer he gave me, I didn’t like it,” Soler said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “That’s why I went out there.”
The right-handed López held the baseball in his right hand as he used it to throw a punch at Soler's batting helmet.
Players and coaches stormed out of the dugouts and bullpens, and Braves manager Walt Weiss tackled Soler, the 2021 World Series MVP with Atlanta.
“I love Soler. We were teammates here,” Weiss said. “But that’s a big man, and so I just felt I’ve gotta get him off his feet because he’s gonna hurt somebody. And so that was my instinct, just to get in there and get Jorge off his feet, yeah, because he was on a warpath.”
López and Soler were Braves teammates during the second half of the 2024 season.
“It’s just a shame, the situation and how things unfolded,” López said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com. “On my part, there was never any intent to hit him at any point. So, again, it’s just a shame.”
Atlanta, which led 4-2 when the game was interrupted by the brawl, went on to a 7-2 victory.
Soler’s two-run shot in the first made him 14 for 23 with five homers and three doubles against López.
“Obviously, I have good numbers against him,” Soler said. “After the home run and getting hit by a pitch after that, and then he missed way too high and close to my head. At this level, you can’t miss like that.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
Los Angeles Angels' Jorge Soler (12) and Atlanta Braves' Reynaldo López (40) fight during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Los Angeles Angels' Jorge Soler (12) is tackled to the ground by Atlanta Braves players as a fight breaks out during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Los Angeles Angels' Jorge Soler (12) and Atlanta Braves' Reynaldo López (40) fight during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Atletico Madrid scored twice after Barcelona was reduced to 10 men to earn a valuable 2-0 road win and take the advantage in their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Barcelona had hemmed Atletico into its box when the hosts received a double blow that left Hansi Flick’s team down a man and behind a goal just before halftime.
The game-changing sequence started when Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone broke free to latch onto a rare long ball and Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí knocked him down on the edge of the area with only goalkeeper Joan García to beat. After initially showing Cubarsí a yellow card, the referee changed it to a red following a video review.
It got worse for Barcelona seconds later when Julián Álvarez curled the resulting free kick around the defensive barrier and past a flying García for the 45th-minute lead. Álvarez’s goal was his 15th in his last 18 matches in Europe’s elite club competition.
Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford tried to rally Barcelona at Camp Nou and kept the pressure on Atletico despite being undermanned.
But that fightback effort was undone when substitute striker Alexander Sorloth shrugged off a challenge by Gerard Martín as he moved to the near post and tapped in a cross from Matteo Ruggeri to double the lead with 20 minutes to play.
“We are heading home happy for the win, but we still have a long way to go. There are 90 minutes ahead,” Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann said.
Barcelona’s hopes of ending an 11-year wait to add to its five European Cups now rests on mounting a big win in Madrid on Tuesday.
Also on Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain beat Liverpool 2-0 in their quarterfinal first leg.
On Tuesday, Bayern Munich won 2-1 at Real Madrid, while Arsenal won 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon.
Wednesday's game at Camp Nou was the second of three meetings between Barcelona and Atletico in an 11-day span. Barcelona won 2-1 away in the Spanish league to strengthen its league lead on Saturday. In February, Atletico also edged Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Barcelona has won five European Cups and Atletico has lost three finals, and the Catalan club has a better overall head-to-head record over Diego Simeone's team. But when it comes to the Champions League, Atletico has found the edge. Simeone’s bunch got the better of a star-studded Barcelona led by Lionel Messi at the same stage in the competition in 2014 and 2016.
And another masterclass in Simeone's bend-but-don't-break soccer has stumped a Barcelona led by a Yamal who drew oohs and aahs from Barcelona's fans with his fancy dribbling but was visibly frustrated he couldn't conjure up that shooting angle or perfect pass.
Atletico lost central defender David Hancko — the team’s most used player this season — to what looked like a leg injury on the half-hour mark. He was replaced by Marc Pubill and the defense didn't notice the difference.
“We gave it our all, but it wasn’t to be,” Barcelona substitute defender Ronald Araujo said. “But this team can turn this around. I am convinced of it. It will be tough at their home, but this team had the character and talent to comeback.”
A moment of silence was held before kickoff in memory of Romania soccer great Mircea Lucescu, who died this week at age 80.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barcelona's Marcus Rashford makes an attempt to score during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Atletico Madrid's head coach Diego Simeone, centre, reacts during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sorloth, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal reacts disappointed after the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, right, takes a free kick during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, front defends the ball from Atletico Madrid's Matteo Ruggeri during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, top, is tackled and fouled by Atletico Madrid's Nico Gonzalez, who receives a second yellow card and is then sent off during a La Liga soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, April 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
