Yasiel Puig involved in brawl during Venezuelan winter league game, says he was trying to ‘keep everyone calm’
Puig last played in the MLB for the Guardians
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Major League Baseball star Yasiel Puig found himself in the middle of a massive brawl during a Venezuelan Professional Baseball League this week.
Puig, who plays for Tiburones de La Guaira, was involved in a bench-clearing brawl between his team and Cardenales de Lara, according to the New York Post.
Tiburones de la Guaira's Cuban baseball player Yasiel Puig watches the Venezuelan Baseball League game between Leones del Caracas and Tiburones de la Guaira at the Simon Bolivar Monumental Stadium in Caracas, on January 7, 2024. (FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images)
Tiburones player Maikel Garcia launched a two-run go-ahead home run in the eighth inning to take a 10-8 lead.
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Video of the game shows Garcia rounding third base and having words with the Cardenales bench, before slowing down to a walk as he was greeted by his teammates at home plate.
Both benches cleared, and the two teams squared off on the field. Puig can be seen jawing with a few opposing players before a Cardenales player wildly swings at him. Puig then charges the player, with both teams exchanging punches.
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Puig took to social media to express disappointment with how his involvement in the brawl was portrayed in the media, saying he had tried to "keep everyone calm and from nowhere I get hit in head."
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Tiburones de la Guaira's Cuban baseball player Yasiel Puig throws the ball during the Venezuelan Baseball League game between Leones del Caracas and Tiburones de la Guaira at the Simon Bolivar Monumental Stadium in Caracas, on January 7, 2024. (FEDERICO PARRA/AFP via Getty Images)
Puig’s agent also posted to X to explain that Puig had been attempting to "keep the peace."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Unfortunately, the American media chooses to once again share misinformation. [Yasiel Puig] was actually keeping the peace yesterday when he was sucker punched by a player from the other team. I have released several videos on my feed that show what happened," Lisette Carnet wrote.
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Yasiel Puig, #66 of the Cleveland Indians, returns to the dugout after fielding during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 27, 2019, in Washington, D.C. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
"It’s unfortunate we have become this type of society that when the truth doesn’t fit our thirst, we just change the ‘clickbait’ to suit. Puig is fine btw- he was not sanctioned because he was a victim yesterday- and today he hit a 2 run HR & is now 1 game away from a championship."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Carnet posted a clip of the opposing player swinging at Puig.
According to the box score, no players were ejected due to the brawl.
Puig last played in MLB during the 2019 season, appearing in 49 games for the Cleveland Guardians and hitting .297.