To say that the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres don’t like each other would certainly be the understatement of the year, and on Thursday, the rivalry turned into a game of who can bean each other the hardest.
In the ninth inning of San Diego’s 5-3 victory over Los Angeles, Fernando Tatis Jr. was drilled in the right hand by Dodgers right-hander Jack Little, the third time in seven games against the Dodgers that he has been hit. Tatis’ status for this weekend’s series against the Kansas City Royals is unknown.
That led to the yell fest that got Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Padres manager Mike Shildt both tossed from the game after Roberts shoved Shildt. Players from both teams came onto the field at Dodger Stadium, although no punches were thrown.
Shohei Ohtani was then hit with a 100 mph fastball in the right shoulder in the bottom of the ninth from reliever Robert Suarez.
A total of eight batters were hit in the four-game series.
“Well, I think he knew it was intentional,” Roberts said after the game. “He wasn’t hurt by it, and he didn’t want any more drama, which I respect that a lot.”
“Whether it was (intentional) or it wasn’t, enough is enough,” Shildt said. “We got a guy who’s getting X-rays right now, is one of the best players in the game, fortunately he’s on our team, and this guy has taken shots, OK?”
The teams have a couple months before their next meeting with a three-game set for Aug. 15-17 in Los Angeles and the next weekend another three-game series in San Diego. The Padres are five games back of the Dodgers in the NL West.