Yankees & Orioles 1998 Brawl Breakdown

Jan 13, 2018 199.7K views 3:25
MLB New York Yankees 2018

What Happened

In the 1998 matchup between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles, tension boils over into a bench-clearing brawl. It begins when Orioles pitcher Armando Benitez hits Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez with a pitch, sparking outrage from the Yankees dugout. Outfielder Chad Curtis and catcher Jorge Posada are among the first Yankees players to charge the mound, furious at Benitez. Veteran slugger Darryl Strawberry is the most visibly enraged, storming out of the dugout and confronting Benitez directly. The two exchange words, with Benitez challenging Strawberry to "come find me in the showers." As the teams converge, shortstop Derek Jeter, still young and relatively inexperienced, appears unsure of the gravity of the situation. Meanwhile, relief pitchers Jeff Nelson and Graeme Lloyd rush in from the bullpen, with Lloyd employing a unique double-handed technique to grapple with Benitez. A wild melee ensues, with players from both sides exchanging punches. Third baseman Scott Brosius initially tries to intervene but is soon swept up in the chaos, colliding with teammate Mike Stanton. Brosius then takes matters into his own hands, locking up with Benitez before Strawberry swoops in to defend his teammate. The brawl spills into the dugout, where the scene descends into complete pandemonium. Manager Joe Torre tries in vain to calm the raging Strawberry, who refuses to back down. Even veteran pitcher David Cone appears bewildered by the sheer intensity of the altercation. Amid the melee, Tino Martinez, the original target of Benitez's errant pitch, stands off to the side, lamenting that he didn't even get a chance to retaliate himself. The entire episode serves as a stark reminder of the heated rivalry and bad blood between these two American League powerhouses. In the end, order is eventually restored, but the lingering tensions between the Yankees and Orioles will undoubtedly carry over into future matchups. This explosive confrontation underscores the high stakes and fierce competitiveness that define the storied history between these two legendary franchises.

Full Transcript

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1998 bonitas comes in to pitch gives up

a home run to Bernie Williams next pitch

drilled Martinez right in the back boom

everyone's upset immediately he gets

thrown out the Yankees come out we got