Padres Manager Mike Shildt Claps Back At Manny Machado Critics
10/08/2024 05:11 PM
The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are tied at one in the NLDS this season, continuing one of baseball's most bitter rivalries with another meeting in the postseason.
This current series is only through two games, but we've already seen plenty of theatrics both on and off the field. Shohei Ohtani homered in his playoff debut in Game 1, lifting the Dodgers to a 7-5 win to open the series.
On Sunday, the Padres evened the series with a huge day at the plate, hitting six home runs as a team in the 10-2 win.
Game 2 was also notable for the behavior of fans and certain players, as the game was delayed for 12 minutes in the seventh inning. Fans threw baseballs and trash at outfielder Jurickson Profar, and a video surfaced of Machado throwing a baseball toward the Dodgers' dugout.
MLB is looking into the incidents, and the Padres have issued a warning to fans about their behavior ahead of Game 3 in San Diego on Wednesday, but Padres manager Mike Shildt stood up for Machado amid the controversy.
According to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale, Shildt mentioned that Machado was the Padres' Roberto Clemente award nominee, and that he expects the third baseman to win it.
"I don't need to defend our team," he said. "I love their heart.''
The Padres will have the chance to show their heart when they host the Dodgers on Tuesday night. They'll look to take a 2-1 lead in the series at home, putting them one game away from eliminating their division rivals for the second straight time.
San Diego defeated Los Angeles in the 2022 NLDS, advancing to the NLCS where they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. There could be a potential rematch of that NLCS this year, as the Phillies are looking to eliminate a divisional opponent of their own in the New York Mets.
Machado and the rest of the Padres are likely to get a hero's welcome at home over the next two games, while the Dodgers are certainly stepping into hostile territory on the road for Games 3 and 4.
Related: Video Surfaces Of Manny Machado 'Throwing' Ball At Dodgers Dugout
