This is something you don't often see in baseball fights.
Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals star outfielder, charged the mound after being plunked in the hip by Hunter Strickland of the San Francisco Giants. A furious Harper slammed his helmet on to the field and charged the mound, and when he did, Strickland greeted him with a punch to the face.
Strickland was so enraged that ESPN showed his teammates literally dragging him into the dugout and away from the action.
After the game, more photos started to come in, like this in, in which the video appears to show Stickland landing a punch on Harper ...
Clippit Screen Shot
... in addition to Harper landing a blow of his own:
Bryce Harper landed a punch on Hunter Strickland the Nats-Giants 8th-inning brawl. pic.twitter.com/986rULPGDV
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 29, 2017
Some quickly weighed in.
I can't blame Bryce Harper for that. Strickland clearly drilled him on purpose. That was a crazy brawl.
— Ryan Ruocco (@RyanRuocco) May 29, 2017
Harper and Strickland have some history. Back in 2014, Harper crushed a three-run, game tying homer in Game 4 of the NLDS, and Strickland took exception.
Hunter Strickland really drilled Bryce Harper from 2014 HRs? That's a joke. Don't blame Harper for charging the mound.
— Kevin Burkhardt (@kevinburkhardt) May 29, 2017
Maybe Strickland has a long memory.
This was the first time Hunter Strickland had faced Bryce Harper since the 2014 NLDS, when he went 2 for 2 with two monster homers off him.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) May 29, 2017
Strickland has also been a bit of a hothead in the past, with some calling into question his sportsmanship.
Strickland and Harper have both been ejected from the game.
Strickland - 1st career ejection
Harper - 9th career ejection
— San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) May 29, 2017
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