Dave Roberts made it only three steps out of the dugout when he got ejected Tuesday night.
Before he went back, the Dodgers manager made sure to get his money’s worth.
On a contentious night that saw two superstars get hit by pitches, both dugouts receive umpire warnings, and the Dodgers eventually beat the San Diego Padres 8-6 at Dodger Stadium, tensions reached their boiling point in the bottom of the third inning.
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And it was the usually even-keeled Roberts whose emotions burned hottest.
After Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch in the top of the third by Dodgers reliever Lou Trivino (the second time in two weeks that has happened), reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani was hit in the leg with one out in the bottom half of the inning.
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Unlike Tatis’ hit by pitch, which came with a runner in scoring position in an inning that saw the Padres score two runs, Ohtani’s plunking occurred amid more suspicious circumstances.
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With one out and nobody on base, Padres starter Randy Vásquez threw an inside, knee-high heater for ball one, brushing Ohtani back off the plate. With his next pitch, Vásquez fired it even more inside, pelting Ohtani’s right thigh with a 94 mph fastball.
Afterward, both Vásquez and Padres manager Mike Shildt insisted the throw wasn’t intentional. “Just trying to make quality pitches and fight for the inner part of the plate, and a ball got away,” Shildt said.
Ohtani was not made available to reporters to discuss the situation.
But in Roberts’ postgame address, he declared he “absolutely” thought it was intentional.
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“Vásquez took one shot at him, and then hit him again. It’s very hard to miss that bad with a right-handed pitcher,” Roberts said. “For me, if they feel that’s warranted on their side, that’s part of baseball. That’s what they feel. And I give him credit because they hit him in the leg. Own it, and we move on. But it’s not a misfire. I do feel it was intentional.”
Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is hit by a pitch thrown by Dodgers pitcher Lou Trivino in the third inning. Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani reacts after being hit by a pitch thrown by Padres pitcher Randy Vásquez in the third inning. Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times
What really set Roberts off, however, was what happened after the umpires gathered for a meeting.
Crew chief Marvin…