CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League on Sunday condemned violence and unsportsmanlike conduct on the field after two incidents the day before, including one in which former MLB double star Asdrúbal Cabrera attacked a player rival while celebrating a home run.
Carlos Castro was leading the 8th inning for the Tiburones de La Guaira in a Venezuelan Winter League game against the Caribes de Anzoategui when he hit his third home run of the night. He flipped his bat and looked down at the opposing bench as he celebrated the base run.
Cabrera, who played on the pitch for seven Major League teams between 2007 and 2021, charged at Castro and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground and sparking a massive brawl.
Tiburones de La Guaira then beat Caribes de Anzoátegui 6-4 in Saturday’s game in the port city of Puerto Las Cruz, Venezuela.
In the second incident in the central city of Valencia, Leones de Caracas and Navegantes del Magallanes players exchanged shoves and insults for several minutes on the field after reliever Bruce Rondón earned the third out of that inning.
Among those expelled was Puerto Rican Yadier Molina, who after a successful 19-year career in Major League Baseball is now the manager of the Navegantes.
The Venezuelan baseball league said in a statement that it was considering sanctions against players involved in the incidents. Cabrera faces a possible suspension for the rest of the season.
“Venezuelan professional baseball is a spectacle that encourages family fun and its discipline is a fundamental part of our cultural heritage,” he said in a statement.
The Associated Press
