Shocking moment MLB star swings at fan in heated exchange during game
A heated exchange between Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana and a fan turned violent when the reliever shockingly launched himself at the stands.
With the 29-46 Pirates bottom of the National League Central, tensions appear to be taking their toll - both in the stands and the clubhouse.
And during the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers, the frustrations boiled over for Santana as he lost his head.
With the game heading into a rain delay, the 29-year-old was caught in a furious back-and-forth with a fan from the bullpen.
But the exchange escalated to a shocking level when Santana launched himself upwards and swung his fist at the side of the spectator's face.
In videos posted to social media, Santana appeared to fail to make contact and the fan quickly stepped back from the wall as the security guard accompanying the pitcher swiftly intervened.
Pirates reliever Dennis Santana took a swing at a fan while in the bullpen at Comerica Park in Detroit. #MLB
(via @_shadky) pic.twitter.com/MQBGrUF1Bd
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) June 20, 2025
A member of the Pirates' bullpen staff could then by seen pulling Santana away before a teammate ushered him into the clubhouse to cool down.
The fan appeared to be wearing a Tigers hat and a shirt honoring Pirates Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.
The Pirates have yet to address the incident but the Tigers confirmed that the fan had been ejected from Comerica Park, per The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen.
The pirates had lost the opening game of the doubleheader 9–2. The second game was tied at 4-4 before heading into a rain delay in the ninth inning but Pittsburgh managed to clinch an 8-4 10th-inning win once play resumed.
Santana is enjoying one of his best seasons on the mound, recording a 1.74 ERA heading into Thursday with 25 strikeouts.
The journeyman is in his eighth season in the major leagues and his second with the Pirates after stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees.
MLB will likely investigate the incident. In 2023, Angels' Anthony Rendon was punished after he grabbed an Athletics fan pestering him. He received a five-game suspension, cut to four, and paid an undisclosed fine for the incident.
It isn't the only incident to have rocked the Pirates this season. In May, a Pittsburgh Pirates employee was caught in a shocking violent altercation with a fan at PNC Park.
In April, a Pirates fan fell 21ft from a stadium wall and suffered serious injuries
The staff member hurled punches and even attempted to whip the fan with a belt after their heated exchange of words came to blows. The game day employee was suspended by the MLB team following the wild scenes.
That altercation came just one week after Pirates fan Kavan Markwood slipped off a railing and fell from a 21-foot wall onto the field during the seventh inning of Pittsburgh's win over the Chicago Cubs.
He was rushed to hospital in critical condition after the horrific plunge, which left him with a broken neck, back and collarbone.
Around a week after Markwood's fall, doctors revealed he had made 'really remarkable progress'.
His friend, Evan Kirkwood, was arrested for buying Markwood just two beers - because he's underage.
Kirkwood, 21, told police investigating the incident that he bought friend Kavan Markwood, 20, the beers during the game against the Chicago Cubs on April 30.
Pirates icon McCutchen could be seen with his head in his hands in the immediate aftermath of the incident, while Pittsburgh owner Bob Nutting released a heartfelt statement, saying 'we are all deeply saddened and truly heartbroken'.
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