Colorado Rockies: The Four Biggest Brawls in Team History

2008 vs. Dodgers

Sometimes the so-called Dog Days of Summer can shorten a baseball player’s fuse. That’s seemingly what happened on June 3, 2008, at Dodger Stadium.

After what seemed like a harmless exchange following a strikeout, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp and Colorado catcher Yorvit Torrealba were soon wrestling on the infield as both benches and bullpens emptied during the eighth inning of Colorado’s 3-0 win.

Kemp struck out on a pitch in the dirt for the frame’s final out, and the ball rolled a just to the right of Torrealba. The Colorado Rockies catcher brushed Kemp from behind before picking up the ball and tagging him lightly in the chest. That light tag would spark a fight as Kemp shoved Torrealba, who retaliated with a two-hand shove to Kemp’s face.

Kemp was suspended for four games while Torrealba was handed a three-game fine.

“I’m not going to say it’s part of the game,” Kemp said. “It was just two grown-ups that got into an altercation and things just got a little out of hand. You don’t really see too many fights in baseball. It’s not really that physical of a sport where people should be fighting. It’s not like hockey or any of the other sports, but it happens. We take this game seriously, and it is an emotional game.”

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