During Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday night, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado threw a ball toward the Dodgers dugout between innings that almost hit manager Dave Roberts.
Roberts told reporters Monday he didn’t notice the throw at the time but later saw a video of the incident, calling it “unsettling.”
The sequence took place before the bottom of the sixth inning, after Dodgers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty struck out Machado the half-inning before and shouted expletives toward the Padres star on his way back to the dugout.
According to people who witnessed the play, Machado’s throw toward the Dodgers dugout came as the Padres were warming up defensively for the bottom half of the inning. Machado allegedly threw the ball with some zip, one-hopping it into the wall of netting protecting the dugout, near where Roberts was sitting.
“I don’t know his intent. I don’t want to speak for him,” Roberts said. “But I did see the video. And the ball was directed at me with something behind it.”
Although Machado admitted after Sunday’s game he did throw a ball toward the Dodgers dugout, he framed it as a routine toss intended for a ball boy.
“I throw balls all the time into the dugouts, both dugouts,” Machado said. “I mean they have foul balls, you know, you throw the ball back in there.”
On Monday, Machado gave this comment about the situation, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.
“I spoke about this last night after the game,” he said. “I’ve already turned the page, and I’m just looking forward to playing in front of our fans tomorrow and preparing for another tough battle against a very good team.”
Roberts said if Machado had been intentionally targeting him with the throw, “it’s pretty disrespectful.”
Roberts previously managed Machado with the Dodgers in 2018, after the team acquired him at the trade deadline. Machado then signed with the Padres the following offseason as a free agent.
“Obviously, I have a relationship with Manny from years past,” Roberts said.
After Machado’s throw, he was approached by third base umpire Tripp Gibson. The two had a brief conversation, during which Machado threw his arm around Gibson’s shoulder.
After watching the video, did Roberts feel Machado should have been ejected from the game?
“I don’t think they should have had a little arm-around-each-other conversation,” Roberts answered, alluding to Gibson. “If players can throw balls at opposing managers, you know …”