Jose Bautista hit a solo homer late in the Toronto Blue Jays‘ 8-4 road loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night and flipped his bat in celebration, causing both teams’ benches to clear and start an all-out — yet non-violent — brawl.

Jose Bautista Flips Bat, Benches Clear in Blue Jays’ Loss to Braves

Toronto was trailing 8-3 in the top of the eighth inning when Bautista smacked a homer into the left-field seats off Eric O’Flaherty to score the Jays’ final run. Right after his hit, however, the Dominican outfielder showed off his bat-flip, which drew the ire of the Braves and caused both dugouts at SunTrust Park to empty after Bautista crossed home plate.

“He did it again,” @JoeyBats19 hit the ball out, saw it and celebrated with his famous “Bat Flip.” #TheMajors,” reads the following caption in Spanish.

The following video shows the benches clearing after Bautista’s home run, with the Spanish caption: “Jose Bautista blasted a big one in the eighth and the dugouts emptied:”

O’Flaherty didn’t appear very angry about Bautista’s bat-flip following the game. The left-hander simply seemed annoyed with the outfielder’s antics.

“I’m surprised he’s ready to fight again after last year,” O’Flaherty told reporters with a laugh, referring to Bautista being punched by Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor in 2016, a fight that Bautista instigated with his infamous bat-flip in 2015.

Bautista confessed after Wednesday’s homer that the flip “was definitely not something that was fitting for the moment.”

That moment in the eighth inning was the second time in Wednesday’s game in Atlanta that the benches cleared. The dugouts also emptied just one inning before. In the seventh, tension arose between Braves reliever Jason Motte and Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar, who seemed to say something to Motte as the latter stepped off the mound.

The Braves’ anger comes as no surprise, given that their players have been struck by the Blue Jays seven times since the four-game series began on Monday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman was forced to exit the game after being hit in the wrist by a pitch from reliever Aaron Loup. 

The Braves (16-21, 2nd in NL East) lead the series 3-0 and have won five of seven games. The Blue Jays (17-24, 5th in AL East) have lost three straight games after winning five in a row, including a four-game home sweep of the Seattle Mariners.

The series finale is Thursday at 7:35 pm EST at SunTrust Park. Right-hander Marcus Stroman will start for Toronto. Stroman has allowed two runs or fewer in all but two of his eight starts this season, and recorded nine strikeouts in his last start against Seattle.

Julio Teheran, who has a 8.14 ERA in four home starts this year, will take the mound for Atlanta.

The Toronto Blue Jays have struggled with hitting thus far in the American League Championship Series, and slugger Jose Bautista believes there are nefarious external forces responsible for his team’s lackluster performance.

Blue Jays’ Joe Bautista Voices ALCS Conspiracy Theories

The Cleveland Indians, who currently lead the Series 2-0 after defeating the Blue Jays 2-0 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday, responded to Bautista’s absurd conspiracy theory claims on Twitter ahead of Game 3, which is set for Monday night in Toronto.

“All you gotta do is look at video and count how many times [Indians pitchers have] thrown pitches over the heart of the plate. It hasn’t been many,” Bautista told reporters Sunday. “They’ve been able to do that because of the circumstances — that I’m not trying to talk about because I can’t. That’s for you guys to do but you guys don’t really want to talk about that either.”

USA Today reporter Mike Vorkunov tweeted Bautista’s full quote:

Previously, the Dominican right fielder, who turns 36 on Wednesday, said: “Sometimes the elements and the circumstances that we have to deal with as hitters don’t go our way. I’m not really trying into that.”

The Indians responded to Vorkunov’s tweet with a photograph montage featuring relievers Andrew Miller and Cody Allen and starters Corey Kluber and Josh Tomlin, accompanied by the word “circumstances” in quotation marks.

Kluber started ALCS Game 1 for Cleveland, Tomlin started Game 2, and Miller and Allen appeared in relief in both games.

On Monday, the Indians continued trolling Bautista and the Blue Jays by creating a poll on Twitter, asking Indians fans what they believe the Blue Jays will use as their next excuse for losing and/or playing terribly.

Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion have complained about the umpiring during the first two games of the series, in which Toronto has gone 10-for-63 with no homers. Both deflected questions about the umpires in postgame interviews, declining to go into full detail.

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 9: Jose Bautista #19 of the Toronto Blue Jays hits into a double play for the final two outs of the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers during game three of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 9, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

With all the fighting that has taken place in the first half of the 2016 baseball season, we here at uSports decided to put together a compilation of the Best Baseball Brawls of All Time.

We hope you like our list, but if not, feel free to comment, tweet or email us with your questions, suggestions or critiques. Enjoy!

10. EXPOS VS. PHILLIES (September 24, 1996)

Pedro Martinez has been called a “head-hunter” several times over the course of his career, but unlike when he played in the American League, early in his career Pedro had to defend himself at the plate. Which brings us to this gem from 1996 when the Expos were still the Expos and Pedro had swapped his jheri curl for a cleaner look. He’s also a little slimmer than when he was playing for the Mets.

It all started when Martinez drilled Gregg Jeffries in the ribs and you can hear the air escape from Jeffries chest. Phillies starter Mike Williams responds by throwing at Martinez as he squares to bunt. Williams misses in his first attempt, but then throws behind his opposite number the very next pitch. Martinez storms the mound, throws his helmet at Williams and the fun begins. Oh Pedro!

9. DODGERS VS. DIAMONDBACKS (June 11, 2013)

In a more recent brawl, the Diamondbacks and Dodgers had both benches clear onto the field for a fracas that began between two pitchers and ended with two coaches needing to be separated.

Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy hits Dodgers starter Zack Greinke with a fastball up and in. The umpire immediately ejects Kennedy and Arizona Manager Matt Williams and Greinke struggles to gather his senses.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers bench rushes toward Kennedy and the scene soon becomes chaotic with LA Manager Don Mattingly shoving a Diamondbacks coach to the ground.

The two best parts of this brawl are:

1. Vin Scully’s play-by-play of the brawl is so soothing you would think he was calling a golf tournament and it is so detailed that you can tell exactly what is going on beneath the pile.
2. Mark McGwire goes ’98 roid-rage and looks like he is going to kill Kurt Gibson.

8. YANKEES VS. ORIOLES (May 19, 1998)

The Yankees will be featured prominently on this list, appearing three separate times, against two different teams.

This installment gets underway with Orioles reliever Armando Benitez (Yes Mets fans, that Armando Benitez) throwing a dart right into the middle of Tino Martinez back.

New York’s bench and bullpen empties onto the field and, of all people, starter Graeme Lloyd breaks through the restrainers and gets into Benitez face. Pay close attention to Yankees third baseman Scott Brosius here. He appears to challenge Benitez after Lloyd misfires and then Brosius realizes that he is half the size of Benitez and backs down.

It’s kind of like when you’re chasing your sibling around the house and then you catch them, but they are so incensed that you get scared and run and now they start chasing you.

Of course Darryl Strawberry gets a piece of the action that eventually spills into the dugout.

7. YANKEES VS. RED SOX (October 11, 2003)

The next clip marks the time most of America began to hate A-Rod.

Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez is plunked by Red Sox starter Bronson Arroyo. The pitch hit Rodriguez on the elbow pad so little to no damage was done, but A-Rod wasn’t happy about it.

As A-Rod is walking up the first baseline, jawing at Arroyo, Sox catcher Jason Varitek intervenes and when Rodriguez turn his fury toward V-tek, Boston’s catcher blasts him in the face.

Not quite caught on camera, Tanyon Sturtze and Gabe Kapler get into it and Sturtz leaves the field bleeding. Kapler was never more than a great bench player but looking at him in this clip, you can tell he’s a bad dude … in a good way.

6. METS VS. REDS (October 8, 1973)

Much like the Scully call, Bob Murphy’s call of this skirmish between Reds ‘Hit King’ Pete Rose and Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson, from 1973, is poetic. Next to Murphy’s “gets by Buckner” call in the 1986 World Series, this may be his most memorable.

Harboring some bad blood, Rose deploys a late, hard slide into Harrelson as he tries to turn two. Harrelson completes the play, but is met with a punch from Rose immediately after and the two scramble around.

Harrelson got in a few shots under the pile, allegedly.

5. RANGERS VS. BLUE JAYS (May 15, 2016)

Maybe the favorite on the list, but not just because it happened most recently. Looking at the other brawls listed, this is definitely the clearest look at the action of all. (Technology is a beautiful thing in that regard)

But also, “the punch” is so perfectly placed. And no one expects players to fight like that anymore.

The tension between the Blue Jays and Rangers dates back to Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS where Jose Bautista hit a clutch home run to give Toronto a lead they would not relinquish. Bautista flipped his bat in celebration and heads are still spinning since.

As a measure of revenge, Rangers starter, a journeyman rookie, Matt Bush hits Bautista in the back. A couple plays later Bautista slides hard and late into Texas shortstop Roughned Odor.

And then it goes down.

Odor proves revenge is a stinky cologne.

4. GIANTS VS. DODGERS (August 22, 1965)

Please excuse the blurry picture, we had to dust this ditty off from 1965.

Therehas never been any love lost between the Dodgers and the Giants and this brawl proves it. The players are somewhat irrelevant, even though Willie Mays was on the field playing peacemaker.

Keep your eyes on No. 27 in white, he comes crashing into the picture swinging a bat. That highlight of this brawl clip is Giants Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal, just in case you haven’t heard this story.

3. CUBS VS. WHITE SOX (May 20, 2006)

Now we are down to the nitty-gritty. It doesn’t get very much better than this clip.

Known for his fiery play, White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski comes barreling down the third base line on sac fly sent to left field. Pierzynski and the throw arrive at home plat at about the same time, except Cubs catcher Michael Barrett is blocking the plate. (Just as catchers were taught to do, before poor Buster Posey busted his leg)

Pierzynski runs right through Barrett, pounding his hand on home plate to demonstrate just how safe he felt.

Barrett didn’t take to that kindly and he responds with a tight, right-cross into Pierzynski’s jaw. Benches clear, and more punches are thrown.

Pierzynski didn’t have a choice but to run Barrett over and the response from the Cubs catcher was Busch League. That being said, Pierzynski’s wrestler-style celebration afterward ruined the fact that he ate the blind-side right from Barrett.

2. YANKEES VS. RED SOX (July 24, 2004)

Oh baby! Where to start?

Pedro Martinez makes his second appearance on our list and does so by tossing Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer like a human bowling ball. Martinez caught a lot of flack for how he handled Zimmer, and rightfully so, but if you take a couple more looks at the clip you’ll see Zimmer is clearly the aggressor.

The brawl began when Pedro threw over the head of Yankees outfielder Karim Garcia. Garcia expressed his displeasure with the pitch.

Later, New York’s starter Roger Clemens throws one up and in to Red Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez and Manny no likey.

As is the theme, benches clear and the teams scuffle. Zimmer squirts out of the pack and heads straight for Martinez who diverts Zimmer’s trajectory like a bull fighter.

But here is the burning question we are left with after viewing this clip … Who is Karim Garcia?

1. WHITE SOX VS. RANGERS (August 4, 1993)
   

No words can do this clip justice. And that is why it is No. 1. But we will try with a few.

Nolan Ryan is 46 years old in this clip, and yet, he’s still throwing upper 90s chedd and haymakers of equal velocity.

Some revisionists have argued that Robin Ventura actually won this fight but when you are fighting a 46 year old man and you are in your 20s, either way you lose.

Sorry Robin, the world only saw the five stops made by “The Ryan Express” atop your head, not the two or three you got in beneath the pile.

PHOTO:  ARLINGTON, TX – MAY 15: Michael Saunders #21 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Ryan Rua #16 of the Texas Rangers push one another after the benches cleared in the eighth inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on May 15, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

A battle has begun brewing between two distinct factions of Major League Baseball.

It’s not a debate drawn across racial lines, but more so, one deriving from differences in culture and the way players came to collect an understanding of baseball’s oldest set of on-field norms, though this code cannot be found scrawled on any of the clubhouse or dugout walls.

The Battle To Rewrite Baseball’s Unwritten Rules

These unwritten rules have had dramatic off-field effects in recent weeks, as well as repercussions, levied by the league’s front office, 99 MPH fastballs from the likes of Yordano Ventura and Noah Syndergaard, and furious right-hand haymakers, launched by Manny Machado and Roughned Odor, that land flush on the faces of their victims.

Robin Ventura, no relation, learned these rules the hard way.

The now-fifth-year manager of the Chicago White Sox had a career to clamor about, but every time his playing days are referenced now, a highlight tape of Nolan Ryan‘s notorious headlock is culled from the catacombs of the production department’s archives, dusted off and played on a loop, with Ryan pounding Ventura mercilessly, landing at least five clean shots atop the younger man’s head.

The battle between new and old school interpretations of baseball’s unwritten mores began with a minor spark, started by defending National League MVP, Bryce Harper, when he called the guidelines for policing the game “Tired,” in an offseason interview with ESPN The Magazine for a story dubbed, “Sorry Not Sorry.”

It continued when the New York Mets flame-throwing, long-locked starter, Syndergaard, nicknamed Thor for his striking resemblance to Marvel’s version of the mythological character, threw behind Chase Utley in retaliation for the Dodgers infielder breaking then- Mets’ shortstop Miguel Tejada‘s leg on a late, hard slide into second base in last season’s NLDS.

The war waged on when Jose Bautista was buttoned by Odor May 15, after a slide similar to Utley’s.

Bautista said he “was pretty surprised,” by the punch from Odor.

“I mean, obviously, that’s the only reason he got me, and I have to say he got me pretty good, so I have to give him that. It takes a little bigger man to knock me down,” Bautista said.

What has been frequently mentioned when discussing this topic, but not quite highlighted until now, is that it was Bautista who started the bad blood eight months earlier, when he hit a walk-off home run in the deciding game of the ALDS between the two teams, prompting “the flip heard round the world.”

Odor vs. Bautista I

As baseball struggles with its identity Roughned Odor offered a counter-punch to the new-school way of thinking about the “unwritten” rules of the game.

Baseball writers and reporters have spent a significant amount of time debating the right to flip one’s bat in celebration of a home run, and in Bautista’s case many have taken into consideration that it was a clutch, series-clinching, home run for a team that hadn’t reached the playoffs since Joe Carter “touched them all,” and “never hit a bigger home run.”

Therefore, due to these mitigating factors, many believe Joey Bats’ bat-flip should be viewed through a different lens.

I am not one of those people.

Bautista has a reputation for being brash and difficult in the clubhouse, though no one can discount his remarkable power and impeccable record as a ‘”clean” slugger, no player has hit more home runs since 2011, when so many in the game today are tainted in one way or another.

I admire Bautista for his ability to eat that Odor right like a bag of Doritos sold in a elementary school lunchroom. The Toronto slugger was struck directly on the pressure point and although his knees did buckle a bit, he never went down.

So, I can agree that the bearded wonder of ‘The 6’ can take a punch, but Bautista’s claim that Odor’s answer to the slide was “cowardly,” is not something I can abide.

That is the way baseball is supposed to be played. That is how the honor and respect for America’s Pastime is shown.

Don’t believe me? Ask Enos Slaughter.

Slaughter, a Hall of Famer for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 40s and 50s, has become infamously known as “the guy who spiked Jackie Robinson.”

In 1947, the same season he broke baseball’s color barrier, Robinson was playing first base in late August when Slaughter came barreling down the line on a ground ball to the infield. Nicknamed “Country,” Slaughter slammed his spikes into the back of Robinson’s leg as he crossed the first base bag, causing a seven-inch gash as a result, some historians say, jeopardizing Robinson’s career.

In a future game, after Robinson had moved to what fans remember fondly as his best position, second base, Slaughtered rang a would-be double off the left field wall. Robinson corralled the relay throw and planted a violent tag, smack-dab on Slaughter’s kisser, knocking out four of his teeth.

Enos Slaughter’s spiking as recalled in the recent Robinson bio-pic ’42’

‘Country’ calmly picked up his fallen chicklets, spit out some of the blood that had begun to pool in his mouth and sauntered off the field without saying a word.

THAT is how it is done.

Slaughter knew there could be a repercussion for the spiking, and that was before Twitter, ESPN’sTop Plays or Baseball Tonight or even color T.V.

So don’t try to sell me on the argument that Bautista didn’t expect retribution for his bat-flip.

Syndergaard was ejected by a rookie umpire without warning after throwing behind Utley and after the same ump was coached to issue a “warning first,” before tossing anyone out of that particular game.

What would Bob Gibson say about that, or Ryan, or Randy Johnson? And those are fairly recent guys.

Baseball is unique in that, similarly to hockey, players often police themselves on the playing surface, using officials only to uphold the “written” rules.

Baseball’s Best Brawls

If Harper, Bautista, or any major leaguer for that matter, wants to flip his bat, stare down the opposing pitcher, or “pimp it” around the bases in celebration of a home run, play on playboy.

Just don’t complain when you hear the record stop on the sultry sounds of a little chin-music, be it from a pitcher or position player.

The beauty of these codes are that they lack an expiration date and that is what players like Joey Bats are unable to understand.

In addition to his complaints about the assault launched by Odor, Bautista called the timing of the incident into question, highlighting that it came in the 8th inning of the penultimate game of the regular season for the two clubs.

Response: Robinson knocked out Slaughter’s teeth two full years after he was spiked.

It is the same epidemic of disrespect for the game that has players not running down the line on a “can of corn” fly ball or “routine” ground ball.

Players, you know the rules, whether they are written or not, simply abide by them.

To borrow a line from the great John Sterling, “This is baseball Suzyn (Waldman).”

https://www.funnyordie.com/videos/da32d4e704/pocket-john-sterling?_cc=__d___&_ccid=c881fc89-b365-4c73-8f01-fdd634f29c40

And if you don’t like it, go play lacrosse, or continue to play it “your” way.

Cadillac it around the bases, pull another one into the shift despite the mammoth hole on the opposite side of the infield and the fact that he’s thrown four straight pitches on the outside corner. And please, by all means, flip your bat.

Just don’t say you’re “surprised” when someone  tries to re-educate you on the unwritten rules of baseball.

The Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays have now played six games without any incidents since Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista’s s “bat-flip heard round the world” during Game 5 of last year’ American League Division Series. However, during the seventh meeting between the two teams on Sunday, all hell broke loose.

Angels’ Rougned Odor Throws Punch At Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista, Brawl Ensues

After being hit by a Matt Bush pitch at the beginning of the top of the 8th inning, Bautista attempted to break up a double play with a hard slide at second base on Rougned Odor’s legs. The 22-year-old Venezuelan Rangers second baseman clearly did not appreciate this, so he responded by shoving Bautista and then clocking him with a clear right punch to the jaw, thus knocking off his helmet and his sunglasses as Bautista tried to defend himself.

“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.”

An all-out melee between the rest of the players on the field quickly ensued, as officials and even some coaches and managers attempted to break up the fight. In the end, Bautista and Josh Donaldson were ejected for the Jays, while Odor and bench coach Steve Buechele got the boot for the Rangers.

“I had a hard slide at second base. I could have injured [Odor, but] I chose not to,” Bautista said. “I tried to send a message that I didn’t appreciate getting hit [by the pitch].”

Both benches cleared again when the Jays’ Jesse Chavez hit Prince Fielder with his first pitch in the bottom of the 8th, but no punches were thrown this time around. When all was said and done, eight players and managers in total were ejected during the game, which the Rangers won, 7-6.

Odor, who was also ejected, was not available to reporters after the game.

PHOTO: ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 30: Rougned Odor #12 of the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on April 30, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage is one of several former New York Yankees players with the team in Tampa for spring training to help assist the team in spring training.

Gossage took ten minutes to sit down with ESPN’s Andrew Marchand to discuss the current state of the game, and the pitcher was not in the moos to mince words.

“[Jose] Bautista is a f—ing disgrace to the game,” Gossage, He’s embarrassing to all the Latin players, whoever played before him. Throwing his bat and acting like a fool, like all those guys in Toronto. [Yoenis] Cespedes, same thing.”

Gossage was more than likely referring to Bautista’s bat flip in Game 5 of the ALDS against the Rangers after hitting a go ahead three-run home run last season.

Gossage wasn’t done yet, after ripping Bautista and Cespedes, Gossage went after the “nerds who are running it.”

“I’ll tell you what has happened, these guys played rotisserie baseball at Harvard or wherever the f— they went, and they thought they figured the f—ing game out. They don’t know s—.

“A bunch of f—ing nerds running the game. You can’t slide into second base. You can’t take out the f—ing catcher because [Buster] Posey was in the wrong position and they are going to change all the rules. You can’t pitch inside anymore. I’d like to knock some of these f—ers on their ass and see how they would do against pitchers in the old days.”

The former Yankee also decided to include Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun among his targets.  “Ryan Braun is a f—ing steroid user. He gets a standing ovation on Opening Day in Milwaukee. How do you explain that to your kid after throwing people under the bus and lying through his f—ing teeth? They don’t have anyone passing the f—ing torch to these people.

“If I had acted like that, you don’t go in that f—ing dugout. There are going to be 20 f—ing guys waiting for you.”

Next on Gossages’s hit were current relievers and their tendency to pitch only an inning or less.  “They have been created from the top, from their computers,” Gossage said. “They are protecting these kids. The first thing a pitcher does when he comes off the mound is ask: ‘How many pitches do I have?’ If I had asked that f—ing question, they would have said: ‘Son, get your ass out there on that mound. If you get tired, we’ll come and get you.'”

After Baustista and Cespedes were told of Gossage’s comments, neither one would take a shot back at Goose.

“He’s a great ambassador for the game,” Bautista told ESPN after being informed of Gossage’s comments. “I don’t agree with him. I’m disappointed that he made those comments, but I’m not going to get into it with him. I would never say anything about him, no matter what he said about me. I have too much good stuff to worry about his comments. Today is my first game [of the spring], getting ready for a new season; hopefully, we will whoop some more ass.”

“Whenever a pitcher strikes someone out, they get to celebrate too and have their moment and revel in it,” Cespedes said. “Why can’t the batters get a chance to enjoy their success, too?

Baseball is lagging behind basketball and football in terms of being able to express yourself on  the field and celebrations. Bryce Harper went as far to call baseball ‘tired’ and most people hope Harper at only 23 years old will help usher in the new wave of baseball that is played with flair and intensity.