‘They just crossed the line': Pirates' Dennis Santana involved in altercation with fan
A fan was ejected after an altercation with Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Dennis Santana during Thursday's game at Comerica Park, a Detroit Tigers spokesperson confirmed.
The incident, which took place during the second game of split doubleheader between the Tigers and Pirates, was filmed by neighboring fans and took place by the visitors' bullpen.
Live from comerica park🤣 dennis santana swings on a fan with a tigers hat and pirates jersey lmfao@woodwardsports @barstoolsports @mlb @Pirates @DennisSantanaRD pic.twitter.com/ulPd2YuqsM
— daddy (@_shadky) June 20, 2025
In one video, the footage shows Santana attempting to land a punch against the fan, though it's unclear what prompted the reliever to take action.
'You guys know me and know my temper,' Santana said via an interpreter after the game. 'I'm a calm person. They just crossed the line a few times. I would like to leave it like that.'
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Santana said the altercation took place somewhere around the seventh inning.
'Like I said, they crossed the line too many times,' Santana said. 'It doesn't justify the actions, but it was too much.'
An alternate angle shows Santana, flanked by stadium security, pointing to a fan before jumping near the bullpen wall of Comerica Park to swing at the fan.
'I'm still gathering facts,' Pirates manager Don Kelly said. 'I don't have enough information to really comment on that at all.'
Dennis Santana are we serious???? @espn pic.twitter.com/8XywEyTZtO
— Spencer Torkelson Believer (@TorkBeliever) June 20, 2025
Santana later entered the game in the ninth, with the score tied, before the contest entered a rain delay. When play resumed in the ninth inning, Santana did not return to the mound. After securing one out, he was replaced by David Bednar.
The Pirates went on to beat the Tigers 8-4 in 10 innings, but not before further drama at Comerica Park.
In the 10th, umpires worked with security to remove a group of fans who had appeared to heckle Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham.
Pham got Detroit Tigers fans ejected pic.twitter.com/AtcYOuznLk
— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) June 20, 2025
Pham did not speak with reporters after the game.
'I didn't see it,' Kelly said. 'I guess fans were saying something to him, and he didn't take kindly to it. Security did a great job of deescalating that situation pretty quick.'
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