A high-stakes lawsuit involving the Atlanta Braves and their former World Series MVP is back on the table — and it could shake up how legal protections for professional sports teams are interpreted going forward.
The Georgia Court of Appeals has reversed a 2023 decision that dismissed a lawsuit filed against the Braves and outfielder Jorge Soler. At the center of the controversy is a World Series baseball allegedly hurled into the stands by Soler after a play — a moment now under a legal microscope.
Lawsuit Details an Unexpected Injury
Mayra Norris and her husband, Scott, filed the suit after she was struck in the eye by the ball during Game 3 of the 2021 World Series between the Braves and Astros. According to the suit, Soler threw the ball “overhand, with a great deal of speed and force” directly into the crowd, injuring Mayra so severely that she required medical treatment for extensive trauma to her right eye.
Importantly, the lawsuit claims the throw occurred when the ball was not in play — a detail that could punch a hole in the Braves’ defense under Georgia’s so-called “baseball rule.” That rule generally shields teams from liability when fans are injured during gameplay, assuming the team has taken reasonable safety measures.
Dismissed by Lower Court, Reopened on Appeal
Cobb County Superior Court Judge Angela Brown originally sided with the Braves, dismissing the case in December 2023. But on September 12, 2025, the state appeals court reversed that decision — a dramatic legal twist that could have implications beyond Atlanta.
“This ruling by the Georgia Court of Appeals is a sign that the details of each case matter,” said Atlanta-based attorney Matt Stoddard. “The baseball rule does not automatically provide immunity from injuries at the stadium.”
What the Plaintiffs Are Claiming
The lawsuit accuses the Braves of failing to maintain a safe stadium and alleges that the organization didn’t take sufficient measures to prevent reckless behavior by its players. Specifically, it claims the team failed to “maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition” and did not prevent “reckless and dangerous conditions of which it knew or should have known.”
It seeks both general and compensatory damages to be determined during trial.
Jorge Soler’s Post-Braves Journey
With the case now likely headed back to Cobb Superior Court, the spotlight once again falls on Jorge Soler — a hero of the Braves’ championship run who left the team shortly after the 2021 victory.
Soler, who smashed three home runs during the World Series and clinched MVP honors, has since bounced around the league and is currently on the 60-day injured list for the Los Angeles Angels.
If the case proceeds to trial, the ruling could set new precedent for how far the “baseball rule” stretches. Legal experts say the outcome could redefine where team liability begins and ends in incidents involving fan injuries.
