Texas Rangers vs Toronto Blue Jays descends into chaos after Rougned Odor lands huge punch on Jose Bautista
Odor landed a powerful right hook to Bautista's jaw to reignite a rivalry that dates back to last year
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Your support makes all the difference.A Major League Baseball game descended into chaos on Sunday night when Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays players started brawling on the pitch, leading to Rougned Odor delivering a powerful right-hook punch to Jose Bautista’s jaw live on American television (above - full clip below).
While the two players clashed at the weekend – leading to both teams rushing in and trying to defend their team-mate – Odor and Bautista’s feud actually stretches back to last year when Bautista’s bat flip after a three-run homer angered the Texas side in their AL Division Series clash.
While the Rangers went on to clinch a 7-6 victory, the match was overshadowed by the brawl, and it occurred in the eighth innings when Bautista was hit by a pitch from Matt Bush, leading to Odor confronting his rival.
Odor is seen to push Bautista before aiming a right hook at his head, connecting with enough power to knock Bautista’s sunglasses and helmet off his head. Somehow, Bautista stayed on his feet, and he was prevented from retaliating after Texas veteran Adrian Beltre grabbed him.
"I was pretty surprised," Bautista said. "I mean, obviously, that's the only reason that he got me and he got me pretty good, so I have to give him that. It takes a little bit bigger man to knock me down."
A total of eight people were ejected from the match, with both Baustista and Odor included among those sent from the field of play. Toronto manager John Gibbons had already been ejected from the match in the third innings when he returned to the field for the brawl, while his replacement, Demarlo Hale, was also tossed after Blue Jays reliever Jesse Chavez hit Prince Fielder with the ball in the very next pitch, clearly a retaliation move for the punch.
Watch the full video below, courtesy of Fox Sports:
Chavez was also sent from the field, given that a warning had already been issued after Bush had hit Bautista earlier in the match.
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