Tensions reached a boiling point in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League during Game 2 of the winter league finals, as Tiburones de La Guaira clashed with Cardenales de Lara in a fiery matchup that ended in a dramatic 12-10 victory for the Tiburones.
The center of attention, however, was former MLB All-Star Yasiel Puig, who found himself in the middle of a heated on-field brawl.
The turning point of the game occurred in the eighth inning when Tiburones shortstop Maikel Garcia smashed a tie-breaking two-run homer over the center-field wall, propelling his team ahead.
Garcia’s celebratory antics, including jawing and pointing at the Cardenales dugout as he rounded the bases, set the stage for the explosive confrontation.
As Garcia slow-walked the last 60 feet to home plate, tensions escalated.
Cardenales catcher Carlos Narvaez took issue with Garcia’s exuberance, engaging in a verbal exchange with Tiburones players near the plate.
This quickly escalated into a physical altercation as players from both teams converged, filling both batters’ boxes with a mass of pushing and shoving.
The situation intensified when Puig, playing for Tiburones, exchanged blows with a Cardenales player in foul territory.
The skirmish moved towards the backstop, with a scuffle involving Puig and several other players.
Yasiel Puig found himself in the middle of a brawl yet again pic.twitter.com/OdCoXTsd7h
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) January 26, 2024
Despite the chaos, no players were ejected, though Puig was substituted for a pinch-hitter later in the eighth inning.
This is not the first time Puig has been involved in a brawl, as he was at the center of two major altercations with the Cincinnati Reds against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019. The second brawl occurred shortly after Puig was traded by Cincinnati.
Puig tings 😂 pic.twitter.com/HSL1JzSbPS
— Ray (@RACRaymond) January 26, 2024
Puig finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and the Tiburones ultimately secured a 12-10 victory, taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Remember when Yasiel Puig threw out Trevor Story from Jupiter? 🚀
— Ethan (@Ethanz08s_) January 20, 2024
It’s great to get an update on Puig!
Are you surprised his MLB career fizzled out the way it did?
What’s your favorite baseball brawl of all-time???