The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers concluded their four-game series with plenty of fireworks Thursday night, and managers Mike Shildt and Dave Roberts were at the center of it.
Tension boiled over in the top of the ninth inning due to Jack Little hitting Fernando Tatis Jr. in the right wrist. Little was making his MLB debut and had already allowed two runs in the eighth inning.
That put the Dodgers in a 5-0 deficit, and Little was still in the game to simply finish it out and preserve the bullpen.
Shildt immediately charged out of the dugout along with a trainer as Tatis was grabbing at his wrist. But while going to check on his star right fielder, Shildt continued to stare toward the Dodgers and shouted into the dugout.
That prompted Roberts to come running out and confront Shildt. “We’ll talk later!” Roberts kept repeating toward Shildt.
The two were separated by players but Roberts circled his way from behind the fracas and off to the side. He continued to look for Shildt, though matters didn’t escalate any further.
Shildt, Roberts and Padres bench coach Brian Esposito were all ejected before play resumed. More drama ensured in the bottom of the ninth inning when after falling behind 3-0 to Shohei Ohtani, Robert Suarez uncorked a 100 mph fastball that plunked him in the upper back/behind his right shoulder.
Umpires gathered together and ejected Suarez after a brief discussion.
Ohtani did his part to diffuse matters by immediately gesturing toward the Dodgers’ dugout that they not come onto the field. He also shook hands with Luis Arraez at first base and went over to speak with some Padres in their dugout during the pitching change.
It was the second time in the series that Ohtani was hit by pitch. Overall in the four-game set at Dodger Stadium, there were eight hit by pitches.
Why Dave Roberts was upset with Mike Shildt
Roberts normally is an even-keeled personality, but he twice was ejected during the Padres series. The latest instance was due to how Shildt behaved.
“The way I saw it, was Jack Little was making his Major League debut, and he’s trying to get through the outing. And we’re trying to get him to finish the game. Obviously, the arm-side miss to Iglesias, walks him, walks in a run, and then he hits Tatis with an arm-side fastball,” Roberts began.
“Obviously, I think anyone knows there was no intent. I think even Mike speaking the other day, talking about intent versus no intent, so I think anyone understands there was no intent then. Even by my reaction, I didn’t feel good about Tatis — a great player, great guy — getting hit. I didn’t feel good about it.
“And so as he comes out and he’s yelling at me and staring me down, that bothers me. Because to be quite frank, that’s the last thing I want. I’m taking starters out of the game, trying to get this game over and get this kid a couple innings. So that’s why I took that personal, because I understand the game.
“I understand it doesn’t feel good to get hit, but again, intent versus clearly no intent.”
Like he did Tuesday night, Roberts expressed his belief the Padres purposely hit Ohtani.
Mike Shildt critical of Dave Roberts, Dodgers
Tatis now has been hit three times by Dodgers pitchers this season, including Lou Trivino twice.
“I’d like to think not, but I can’t say,” Shildt answered when asked if he felt what transpired Thursday was intentional. “Only a couple people know that. And whether it was or it wasn’t, enough is enough.
“We’ve got a guy that’s getting X-rays right now that’s one of the best players in the game and of course on our team, and this guy is taking shots. And before this series — I can back this up with complete evidence — because track records speak for themselves, teams I manage don’t get into altercations like this, because teams I manage don’t throw at people.
“But also teams I manage don’t take anything. And after a while, I’m not going to take it. I’m not going to take it on behalf of Tati and I’m not going to take it on behalf of our team, intentional or unintentional. It’s really that simple. That’s how this game is played. If you want to call that old school, we’ll play old school baseball.”
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