There's no love lost between Padres star Manny Machado and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Video released Monday night shows the Padres' third baseman throwing a bouncing ball toward the Dodgers' dugout during Sunday's second game of the NL, with some speed and It almost hit manager Dave Roberts.
The Dodgers saw the tape and sent it to the league office for investigation. According to the Los Angeles Times.
“I didn't realize it at the time. I really didn't. I didn't realize it. I watched the video and it was disturbing,” Roberts said Monday on the eve of Game 3 of the NLDS in San Diego. Ta. “Obviously, I've had a relationship with Manny for years. There was an agenda behind it. There was a net and I almost didn't hit it.
“And it was very troublesome. I think if it was directed at me, it would be very disrespectful. So I don't know what his intentions were. I don't want to speak for him. But I saw the video. And the ball was aimed at me with something behind it. But I didn't see it in real time, but I saw the video. I did.”
The idea that Machado crossed the line with the force with which he threw the ball into the Dodgers' dugout first came to light when Los Angeles starter Jack Flaherty, who got into a verbal war with Machado in Sunday's Game 2, explained why he yelled. It appeared on. Machado left the match.
“He made some strikes during the inning and he threw the ball into the dugout and everyone caught the back end of the ball, it was me and him,” Flaherty said. “I was sitting there for the team. I didn't mean to go at him, but he was throwing the ball into our dugout, so the referee immediately went and told him — no matter what. I don't know if there was a conversation, but our dugout was fired.'' There's no reason for that, so wake up. ”
Video released Monday shows Machado hurling the ball toward the Dodgers' dugout, flying close to Roberts and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.
Roberts, Hernandez and a Dodgers staff member all responded angrily to Machado.
Machado denied malicious intent.
“I always throw the ball to the dugout, both dugouts,” Machado said Sunday. “They have a bat boy, so he throws the ball back there.”
After watching the video, Roberts said he felt the ball was aimed at him, but he did not have a chance to speak one-on-one with his former player.
He believes Machado was upset that Flaherty hit Fernando Tatis Jr. early in the inning, suggesting Machado did it intentionally after hitting a home run and double last time in the game. did.
“The only conversation I had was him barking at Jack,” Roberts said. “And I looked at him and shook my head and made a point of not hitting him on purpose to lead off a two-run inning. And, again, the point is, he used that as fuel. That means I think you are using it.
“Everyone in baseball understands that you don't intentionally put your leadoff man on base and have three, four, five guys behind him. That just doesn't make sense.”
Commentator and former Athletics pitcher Dallas Braden interacted with fans, saying Machado threw the ball with enough force to frustrate his rivals and soft enough to plausibly deny any malicious intent behind it. Afterward, he posted on X that Machado's pitch was “complete trolling.”
“I'd venture to say it might have been the hardest ball he ever threw into the team's dugout, but this is Machado so I could be wildly wrong,” Braden tweeted.
The purpose of sending the tape to the league office may have been gamesmanship, or the club may actually be seeking punishment for its superstar third baseman.
Braden doesn't think a suspension is enough.
“No way. Well, I hope it doesn't happen.” Braden continued about X..
Machado didn't seem concerned about Sunday's hostilities. After getting a strikeout in the sixth inning, Coach Flaherty once told him to “shut up.”
“It’s a competition, going back and forth, right?” machado said. “Things happen between the lines and people just come and go. He's competing for a baseball club and I'm trying to get a big hit for the team. That's the beauty of postseason baseball. Right?”
At one point during Sunday's game, one of his teammates attacked the Dodgers faithful.
Outfielder Jurickson Profar stole a home run from Mookie Betts in the first inning, making some fans laugh after making an incredible catch.
The game was later postponed after some Black Sheep fans threw balls and trash at Padres players.
Profar player and star Fernando Tatis Jr. continued to provoke onlookers as his team won 10-2, hitting six home runs.
Game 3 is sure to be even more exciting with a showdown between San Diego's ball-stealing former Yankees star Michael King and the Dodgers' struggling former ace Walker Buehler.
