Best Detroit Tigers Fights Over The Years

Oct 2, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez (41) celebrates with catcher Alex Avila (13) after hitting a home run during the second inning in game one of the 2014 American League divisional series against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Throughout the years the Detroit Tigers have seen their fair share of drama on the field. It really seems as though Detroit players know how to get into the oppositions head, which usually makes things really exciting, because who doesn’t love a good fight?

Deny all you want, but a classic outburst of anger always livens things up a bit.

Fights in baseball are a rarity, so when they do occur it’s a pretty big deal. Take it as a good thing or a bad thing but the Tigers have been involved in multiple scuffles throughout the seasons; some interesting, some childish, and some that instantly go down in baseball lore. With that being said here is a look at Detroit Tigers fights over the years.

*Videos of the fight are included in every slide

Kevin Youklis charges Rick Porcello, August 2009

Photo Credit: Sports Illustrated

Perhaps one of the more infamous fights that everybody remembers occurred at Fenway Park with Rick Porcello on the mound and Kevin Youklis (remember that guy?) at the plate. A then-20 year old Porcello clocked Youklis in the shoulder with a pitch. Porcello then tried to talk Youklis down but the Viking-esque Boston batter wasn’t having it, charging towards Porcello. The two slammed each other into the Fenway grass, the benches cleared, and the rest is history.

What’s ironic about this situation is that Porcello now pitches for Boston and recently signed a multi-year deal with the team worth $82.5 million. Kevin Youklis no longer plays professional baseball after spending 2014 playing in Japan. That’s called karma, folks.

You can watch a video of the fight here

Tigers and White Sox Brawl, April 2000

Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune

This might just be the only thing the Detroit Tigers of the early 2000’s are remembered for.

And oddly enough, Jered Weaver’s equally “energetic” brother, Jeff Weaver, was a culprit of this fight. After hitting Carlos Lee of the Chicago White Sox, things began to tense up a bit.

Then, with the Tigers batting, White Sox pitcher Jim Parque decided he wanted to have some fun by beaning Dean Palmer, prompting Palmer to charge the mound.

Before you now it, every player on the roster is throwing punches, Bobby Higginson is getting some knocks in, and complete chaos ensues. Moving like a herd of water buffalo across the Serengeti the two teams move from the infield to the outfield and cheap shots continued to fly.

You can view a video of the brawl here

Victor Martinez and Grant Balfour Drop Some F-Bombs, October 2013

Oct 7, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Home plate umpire Gary Darling (37) gets between Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez (left) and Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Grant Balfour (50) in the ninth inning in game three of the American League divisional series playoff baseball game at Comerica Park. Oalkand won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

To call this an actual fight would be a stretch, but it’s still worthy of noting as Victor Martinez completely owned then-Oakland Athletics closer Grant Balfour.

It was Game 3 of the 2013 ALCS, and Martinez was up to bat against Balfour. It’s uncertain what exactly started this whole ordeal as the screaming and explicit language came out of nowhere.

Victor Martinez doesn’t even know what happened, according to USA Today:

“I just fouled a pitch off,” Martinez said. “This guy look at me and I was looked at him. He told me ‘What the (expletive) I’m looking at?’ Really? I mean, (expletive) him. I don’t take that (expletive). Not even the greatest closer in the game, Mariano Rivera, tell you stuff like that.”

Martinez then said he doesn’t even know who this guy is:

I don’t even know who this guy is…I know he’s the closer and that’s it,” Martinez said.

The dust then settled and Victor ended up hitting a single to RF off of Balfour.

You can view the video here, just be warned it contains NSFW language.

Rod Allen in a Foot Pursuit, Early 1990’s

Photo Credit: Guyism

Technically Rod Allen was not a member of the Detroit Tigers at this point in his illustrious career. You know, the career he reminisces about constantly during broadcasts?

But with Allen being such a big part of Tigers baseball for the past decade it’s only fitting he get credit where credit is due.

To give you a quick run down, Rod Allen was playing for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp when he was hit with a pitch. Rod threw down his helmet with great fury and took off towards the pitcher like a lightning bolt.

What went from a two-man ordeal soon turned into a team-wide affair and before you knew it, it looked like all the kids running behind Rocky Balboa when he trains. There’s no other way to put it other than saying this incident is absolutely bizarre and what Rod Allen was thinking that day…even Rod Allen may not be able to answer that question.

Regardless, I see you Big Fella!

You can watch the video here