That brutal Rangers-Blue Jays brawl was 7 months in the making

A baseball game almost broke out at Sunday's Texas Rangers-Toronto Blue Jays fight. This punch was seven months in the making:

Let's back up. The Jays' José Bautista knocked the Rangers out of the 2015 playoffs with a go-ahead three-run homer in Game 5 of the American League Division Series. The Rangers were none too thrilled with Bautista's subsequent bat flip.

Fast forward to Bautista's last 2016 regular season at-bat against the Rangers. Texas relief pitcher Matt Bush got the honors of (unintentionally, of course) nailing Bautista with a fastball to the arm in the eighth inning. The fight was only getting started, as Bautista seized his chance on a ground ball to slide hard — and late and illegally — into Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor, who we then see delivering the brutal punch above.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Here's a better look:

Everyone got pretty into this brawl.

Embed from Getty Images

Iframe Code

Oh, and not that it matters, but the Rangers won 7-6.