Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — In the seventh inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, tensions rose when a strange incident involving former Dodger Manny Machado caught the attention of both teams and fans. Padres’ star Machado appeared to throw a ball toward Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in the dugout, adding fuel to the already tense rivalry between the two teams.
Roberts, initially unaware of the event, later addressed the situation during a Monday interview. “I didn’t notice it at the time,” Roberts said. “I really didn’t.” However, upon reviewing the video footage, he found the act unsettling. “It was, uh, it was unsettling,” Roberts explained. “Obviously, I have a relationship with Manny from years past. There was intent behind it.”
Machado, who played for the Dodgers during their 2018 postseason run, has been known for his intensity and fiery temperament on the field. Roberts acknowledged this but emphasized that, regardless of their past, the throw had an element of disrespect.
“There was a net, so it didn’t almost hit me,” Roberts continued. “But it was very bothersome. If it was intended at me, I’d be very… it’s pretty disrespectful.”
Roberts refrained from directly accusing Machado of malicious intent but noted that the ball was clearly aimed in his direction. “I don’t know his intent,” Roberts said cautiously. “I don’t want to speak for him, but I did see the video, and the ball was directed at me with something behind it.”
When asked if he believed Machado should have been ejected for the incident, Roberts made his stance clear, expressing dissatisfaction with the way the situation was handled. “I don’t think they should’ve had a little arm-around-each-other conversation,” Roberts said, alluding to the brief interaction between Machado and the umpires. “If players can throw balls at opposing managers… you know, there’s got to be some kind of consequence.”
Roberts downplayed any suggestion that this incident was the result of a direct confrontation between him and Machado. “The only dialogue I had with him was when he was chirping at Jack [Flaherty],” Roberts clarified. “I looked at him and shook my head, making a point that we wouldn’t hit him on purpose to lead off an inning while being down two runs.”
Roberts further explained the baseball logic behind his thinking, pointing out that hitting a batter in that situation would make no sense from a strategic standpoint. “As a baseball person, anyone understands that you don’t do that intentionally—put the leadoff man on base with three, four, five coming up behind it.”
The incident added yet another layer of intensity to a series that had already been filled with heated moments and passionate displays. Machado, known for embracing the villain role, seemed to feed off the tension, but Roberts and the Dodgers have emphasized their focus on winning the series and not getting distracted by external provocations. However, according to online reports, the incident has been refered to MLB main offices for review.
“I think he’s using it as fuel,” Roberts remarked, referring to Machado’s behavior and attitude during the series. But Roberts maintained that the Dodgers’ focus remains on the game and the larger goal. “We need to find that fuel for ourselves,” he said.
The Dodgers manager also acknowledged the emotional nature of the series but stressed the importance of staying grounded and not letting external drama influence their play. “I’m not going to manufacture something that’s not real,” Roberts said. “But again, it needs to be found, and I do believe that we had it in Game 1.”
As for the incident itself, it remains unclear what exactly led to Machado’s decision to throw the ball toward the Dodgers dugout. But for Roberts, the focus is on the games ahead, with the Dodgers now facing the challenge of rebounding after a loss.
With the series tied and tensions high, the Dodgers will have to keep their composure to fight back against a Padres team that thrives in heated moments. The Dodgers will rely on their experience and collective resolve to ensure that actions like Machado’s don’t shift their focus away from their ultimate goal—winning the series.
