May 4, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Miguel Olivo (30) looks on from the dugout during a game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Minor League Baseball can be a grind. Cheap hotels, long bus rides, your teammates are also your biggest competition to reach the next level, so it is no surprise that tempers may flare from time to time. Regardless of how bad it gets, you don’t expect a scuffle to end up with one player being sent to a plastic surgeon after having his ear nearly bitten off.
Miguel Olivo signed his first pro deal back in 1996 with the Oakland Athletics, and has played in the big leagues for eight different clubs, but he did something we haven’t seen since Mike Tyson took a bite out of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997.
Jon Morosi shared via twitter that not only did Olivo bite Cuban second baseman Alex Guerrero‘s ear, he did enough damage that Guerrero needed to have plastic surgery to fix it.
Part of Alex Guerrero's ear was "displaced by a bite" during altercation with Miguel Olivo, according to Guerrero's agent, Scott Boras.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 20, 2014
Alex Guerrero is having plastic surgery on his ear right now, Scott Boras said.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 20, 2014
The timetable for Guerrero’s return remains uncertain, as is the status of a the criminal investigation as the Salt Lake City police are still waiting for Guerrero to decide whether or not to press charges against his teammate.
Earlier in the game, during a pitching change, Olivo had to be held back by teammates to prevent him from getting to Guerrero, as can be seen in this Vine from Jared Massey of Dodger’s Nation.