Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke candidly as he revealed new details of Manny Machado throwing a baseball toward the dugout between innings of the San Diego Padres’ blowout win in Game 2 of the National League Division Series.
“I didn’t notice it at the time. I really didn’t. I didn’t notice it. I did see the video, and it was unsettling,” Roberts said in a media availability session before the Dodgers’ workout at Petco Park on Monday.
“Obviously I have a relationship with Manny from years past. There was intent behind it. It didn’t almost hit me because there was a net. That was very bothersome. If it was intended at me, it’s pretty disrespectful. So I don’t know his intent.
“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. But I don’t know what led to that. I didn’t see it in real time but I did see the video.”
According to ESPN’s Alden González, MLB requested video of the incident for review, but Machado isn’t expected to be suspended or subject to other disciplinary action:
Major League Baseball has been in touch with the Dodgers’ security staff and asked for footage of the incident, sources told ESPN, though any punishment seems unlikely
At the time of Roberts’ remarks, no video of Machado’s exchange with the Dodgers dugout had been made public. That changed hours later, and as Roberts stated, he was not looking up or in Machado’s direction when the ball arrived at the dugout.
It did catch the attention of Teoscar Hernández, who immediately gestured toward Machado and shouted at him. Third base umpire Tripp Gibson approached Machado in the moment for what was perceived as a lighthearted conversation. Machado put his arm around Gibson’s shoulder during their brief conversation.
“I don’t think they should have had a little arm-around-each-other conversation,” Roberts lamented. “If players can throw balls at opposing managers…”
Jack Flaherty upset with Manny Machado
Prior to Machado apparently taking aim at Roberts, he was on the receiving end of some expletives from Jack Flaherty after striking out. That came after Machado took exception to Flaherty hitting Fernando Tatis Jr. with a pitch to lead off the sixth inning.
Flaherty then yelled at Machado after the ball went into the Dodgers’ dugout, and was first to reveal that to be the true reason behind their exchange seemingly continuing.
“I have no reason to hit a guy there to start off the sixth, even as good as he’s been swinging the bat. We’re down in the game, and I tried to go in for effect, and he didn’t get out of the way so it hit him. I didn’t try to go and hit him to lead off an inning or anything like that,” Flaherty said on Sunday.
“That doesn’t really make any sense. I didn’t go up near his head, nothing. Just tried to push a guy off the plate and he didn’t get out of the way. Sometimes it happens and they’re upset about it. That’s part of it. I was fired up after getting Manny out in a big spot in the playoffs. That’s what happens. I was fired up. Oh well.
“And then he did some [expletive] in between innings, tries to throw the ball at our dugout and everybody kind of catches the tail end of it, which is me and him going at it. I was sitting there for my team. I wasn’t there to go at him, but he threw a ball at our dugout. The umpires went over immediately. I don’t know what their conversation was, but our dugout was fired up because there’s no reason for that.
“Everybody caught the tail end of it. Everybody caught me and him going at it. Manny is a great player. I understand it’s the postseason and everybody is fired up. He got upset or frustrated about pitching to Tatis, but like I said, you’ve got to be able to pitch him in.
“I missed in the first inning and I wasn’t going to miss over the plate again. There was a lot that happened there, but I hope the fans stay out of it. We’ve just got to play better. Sometimes emotions run high in this game and you just go out, we’ve got to regroup and go get the next one.”
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