The Los Angeles Dodgers’ loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Thursday’s series opener was overshadowed by the heated exchange that took place in the dugout between Yasmani Grandal and Justin Turner.
It stemmed from Grandal nearly costing the Dodgers a run in the bottom of the sixth on his inexplicable attempt to tag from second base on a Justin Turner fly ball to left field. Joc Pederson did tag and it was ruled he scored before the Brewers could throw out Grandal.
While Grandal and Turner said their peace after the loss, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts faced additional questioning prior to Friday’s game. “As a manager or coach, everything we teach the players is for the benefit of themselves and the ballclub,” Roberts said.
“When you have a teammate that essentially calls you out in whatever capacity, as long as it comes from a place of trying to get him and the team better, I don’t have a problem with it.”
Pressed further for his opinion on “fighting” in the dugout, Roberts was quick to make the distinction as to what he views as permissible. “I think having discussions or openly showing emotion with one another for the right reasons is fine,” he said.
“You see it in every sport throughout a season. It’s not something I advocate but it can be healthy.” With the Dodgers not performing to the level of what’s expected from a club that’s won the past three National League West titles, Roberts dismissed the idea that led to frustrations boiling over.
“I think that’s the easy [way to look at it]. When things aren’t going the way you hope or expect them to, emotions come out. Where I know Justin as a competitor and player, that would come out whether we’re 10 games above .500 or not,” he said.
“I applaud the message and timing, but I don’t think it’s about the frustration of where we’re at in the standings. I think talking about a teammate or calling him out on a specific situation, for me, doesn’t have a relation to the fight of a team 67 games into the season.”
Grandal and Turner both said after Thursday’s loss there wouldn’t be a carry over effect and the incident was behind and them. It was a message Roberts echoed, saying he didn’t feel the need to speak with either player.
