Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said it was “bothersome” and “unsettling” that a ball thrown into the Dodgers’ dugout by San Diego third baseman Manny Machado appeared to be intended at him during the Padres’ 10-2 victory in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
That night, tensions mounted both on the field and in the fans at Dodger Stadium. Several situations resulted in Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty and Machado exchanging words as the Padres tied the series with Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers at 1-1 after hitting six home runs.
Fernando Tatis Jr. smashed two home runs off a fastball from Flaherty, which irritated Machado. Flaherty also yelled at Machado after he struck out with two runners on base in the sixth inning.
Roberts stated that he did not see Machado’s throw during the game, but later saw a video of it. “It was unsettling…” “And the ball was aimed at me with something behind it,” he explained.
He explained that the netting prevented the ball from hitting him.
“That was extremely bothersome. If that was directed at me, I would be extremely upset — it’s fairly insulting,” Roberts said Monday before the Dodgers practiced at Petco Park, where the series will continue in front of a packed house on Tuesday night.
Tripp Gibson, the third base umpire, spoke with Machado about the incident, but Roberts stated, “I don’t think they should have had a little arm-around-each other conversation. If players can hurl balls at opposition managers, you know.”
Game 2 was delayed for 12 minutes after boisterous fans threw baseballs at San Diego left fielder Jurickson Profar, followed by garbage being thrown on the field.
Profar grabbed Mookie Betts’ home drive in the first inning by reaching into the stands behind the low left-field wall. He mocked the spectators by looking at them and bouncing up and down before returning the ball to the infield.
Flaherty stated on Sunday night, “Machado did some s— in between innings. He threw a ball towards our dugout. There was no cause for this.”
When challenged about Flaherty’s claim, Machado responded, “I frequently toss balls into dugouts. Both dugouts. “They have bad balls; throw the ball back in there.”
Roberts spoke approximately an hour after Machado, who had spoken briefly with media. Flaherty said he wishes he had “held it together a little bit better.”
“This is the playoffs, man. “There’s a lot of emotion,” Flaherty explained. “I believe things went out of hand yesterday, with everyone from me and him to the fans getting involved.
There is emotion after a punchout, just as there is after a home run. I was not attempting to direct any of that at him. I understand why they are offended by Tatis being hit. We’d react the same way if one of our guys was hit.”
“After that happens and he throws a ball, I wish he would have just let it go,” she said. “The umpires did their jobs.” They stepped in and spoke with him. That isn’t how I want things to proceed. “We want to keep everything on the field and concentrate on the game.”
Flaherty, who was up in the Los Angeles region, was moved from Detroit on July 30.
“I’m not trying to be that player that’s going back and forth with somebody in the dugout,” Mr. Flaherty said. “I was finished. Things were said, and it’s difficult to hear. We need to improve our on-field productivity.”
The Dodgers will start Walker Buehler, while the Padres will start Michael King, who struck out 12 in his first playoff start against Atlanta in a 4-0 win.
“It’s great to be able to take a day off, recharge, then work out here shortly. “And there will be a lot of emotions tomorrow,” Roberts stated.
Roberts grew up in northern San Diego County, played two seasons for the Padres, and then joined the team’s coaching staff, serving as interim manager for one game after Bud Black was sacked in 2015.
“Part of it is an attempt to shut out the noise. The other element of it is to use it as fuel. So I believe we’ll be ready to go as a team,” Roberts added.
“I mean, clearly that team over there, they like the villain-type kind of role and they feed off of that,” Roberts told reporters. “So whatever motivates us, whether individually or collectively, is the desire to win a baseball game or a series.
It’s going to be loud and chaotic. And it’s up to us to remain focused, compete, and fight.” Profar went on to say, “We enjoy playing baseball and do so with great enthusiasm. We’re constantly aiming to win.”
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