Reynaldo López escaped a massive suspension, and Major League Baseball should be ashamed

If this week’s brawl between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves is any indication, then perhaps our parents were wrong when they told us that actions have consequences.

Major League Baseball suspended Braves pitcher Reynaldo López and Angels outfielder Jorge Soler for seven games following their viral fight earlier this week. Soler, who had homered earlier in the game, was hit by a pitch in his second at-bat. López then threw high and inside at Soler in the fifth inning, and the veteran outfielder charged the mound.

Soler threw the first punch, and López reacted by hitting him in the helmet while holding the baseball in his right hand. Both were ejected, though Soler played in Wednesday’s 8–2 loss while he works through the appeal process.

López, though, has already had his suspension reduced to five games, and the league should be embarrassed that he’ll only miss one start.

Reynaldo López broke baseball’s unwritten rules by trying to attack Jorge Soler with the baseball

On its own, a benches-clearing brawl is one thing. Besides, the term itself is outdated, because very rarely do we see things escalate beyond profanity and coaches holding players back. That’s not exactly a “brawl.”

Attempting to use a baseball as a weapon, though, is a step too far — and it’s one that should have landed López an extended suspension.

You don’t ever attack someone with a baseball. Imagine what would’ve happened had López connected with Soler’s face rather than the helmet? Anyone who has ever been hit by a baseball knows how much damage it can do.

But wait, you might argue. Why is throwing at a hitter acceptable? After all, that’s technically using a baseball as a weapon.

The difference is that throwing behind a hitter is typically enough to send the message. You don’t need to throw a 98 mph fastball at someone’s ribs.

If you’ve ever seen the viral video of then-Mets manager Terry Collins screaming at Tom Hallion in 2016, you’ll know what I mean. For the unfamiliar, Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard threw at Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley, months after Utley’s takeout slide injured Mets infielder Rubén Tejada during a playoff game.

Syndergaard was immediately ejected, with Collins following him minutes later. Both vented that there were no pregame warnings about potentially throwing at players.

Hallion, the crew chief, wasn’t the one who ejected Syndergaard or Collins. However, he moved Collins away from the other umpires and tried to calm the veteran manager down.

“You gotta give us a shot!” Collins insisted. In other words, the umpires needed to let Syndergaard and the Mets throw behind Utley, likely take a warning, and then move on.

That’s the difference. Syndergaard didn’t try to break Utley’s hand. A pitch aimed at the backstop sufficed.

Reynaldo López deserved a lengthy suspension, and Major League Baseball failed its players

None of this is to excuse Soler, although a seven-game suspension feels a tad high. That’s a week’s worth of games, so we’ll see whether it’s dropped to four or five on appeal.

Soler threw a punch. López tried to assault him with a baseball. Both may have been violent acts, but one is far worse than the other.

By only suspending López for one start, Major League Baseball is essentially condoning the act of using the ball as a weapon. Even if one contends that López was acting on adrenaline and instinct, that should have meant he’d return with his own punch. At least then, there is an argument that he fought fire with fire.

Instead, López attempted to fight fire with a minigun.

Realistically, there is no chance that López would have earned an indefinite suspension, even if he deserved it. Major League Baseball typically does not suspend players longer than six games for on-field incidents.

We have seen exceptions, though. Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy received a 10-game suspension for throwing at Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke in 2013, seven years after Cubs catcher Michael Barrett earned a 10-game ban for punching White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

It is worth noting that both incidents occurred when Bud Selig was still commissioner. Rob Manfred replaced Selig in 2014.

Barring further discipline, which is extremely unlikely, we’ll see López toe the mound again within the next two weeks. By that point, we’ll have forgotten about this whole incident, and he’ll once again be free to throw at hitters who take him deep.

All is fair in love and war. Evidently, that also applies to having a baseball in your hand when a former teammate charges the mound.

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