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The National League Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres has been just as intense and emotional as baseball fans expected. But Game 2 of the series on Sunday in Los Angeles created intensity in unexpected, and frequently embarrassing ways.

It started with Jurickson Profar making an incredible catch in the left field stands to rob Mookie Betts of a home run. Profar, being the player he is, used the opportunity to taunt the Dodgers fans. He taunted them again later, bringing a ball out to a fan in left field near the catch. The ball was promptly thrown back on the field. Other fans, though, inexcusably threw a ball much closer to Profar, and several were recorded throwing things at Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. It was embarrassing, and caused a significant delay. Though it’s hardly unprecedented across baseball. Padres fans once threw beer at then-Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. Just last year, Atlanta Braves fans threw items onto the field in a playoff game. None of that excuses the Dodgers’ fans behavior, however. 

While some Dodgers fans embarrassed themselves off the field, several Padres players took the opportunity to embarrass themselves on it. Profar for trolling fans unnecessarily, Tatis for, well, plenty, and Manny Machado for chucking a baseball significantly harder than usual towards the Dodgers dugout. And now Major League Baseball is reviewing video of the incident to determine whether punishment is warranted.

Manny Machado Dodgers dugout

LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 06: San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) looks on during game two of the National League Division Series game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 6, 2024 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Dodgers Padres Series Heats Up After Contentious Manny Machado Throw

The Machado incident seemingly started in the top of the 6th inning. With the Padres ahead 3-1, Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty hit Fernando Tatis Jr. in the leg to lead off the inning. With Flaherty ahead in the count 0-1, a tight, two-run game, and Tatis being the leadoff hitter ahead of Profar and Machado, there was no reason for Flaherty to throw at Tatis on purpose.

After the game, Flaherty said as much, explaining that he was trying to bust Tatis inside, considering he’d already allowed a home run to him on a pitch down the middle.

“Look, I missed in the first inning and threw the ball over the middle — I wasn’t going to miss over the plate again,” Flaherty said. “I have no reason to hit a guy there to start off the sixth. As good as he’s been, we were down in the game, I’m going in for effect, he didn’t get out of the way, and it hit him.

“I wasn’t trying to lead off the inning by hitting him. That doesn’t make any sense. I didn’t go up near his head. I was just trying to push a guy off the plate, and he didn’t get out of the way. Sometimes that happens, and they were upset about it.”

Tatis took his time walking to first, and Machado started chirping at Flaherty. After a Profar bunt single, Flaherty got Machado swinging and could be seen yelling “Sit the f*** down, mother******” afterwards. In between innings, Machado then chucked a ball towards the Dodgers dugout significantly harder than normal. He didn’t deny it, saying he was tossing it to the bat boy. Video though, shows that’s not remotely what he did. 

Teoscar Hernandez can be seen immediately raising his arms towards Machado, and the third base umpire went over to speak with him afterwards. That is not a normal throw towards the dugout. The Dodgers complained to MLB, and the league office, according to several reports, is reviewing.

Machado almost certainly had no intent to hurt anyone, though he has several times acted inappropriately on the field. He infamously kicked Jesus Aguilar while on the Dodgers in 2018. He was accused of several dirty slides, including one on Dustin Pedroia that caused significant injury, among other incidents. There’s no justification for Machado’s throw; he knew exactly what he was doing in that circumstance. But there’s also little reason for the Dodgers to submit it to the league office. Nothing will come of it, and it makes the team look overly concerned with a relatively minor, though still inexcusable, incident.

It wasn’t the most embarrassing thing the Padres did on the field though. 

That honor is reserved for Tatis, who displayed his now-trademark immaturity several times towards the crowd. He was caught by Fox Sports cameras wagging his tongue at fans; a very classy gesture from a Major League Baseball player.

Most players with the experience Tatis has know to ignore taunts and obscene gestures from fans. Because that’s what fans do. Tatis, though, continually takes the bait, then acts offended when fans respond.

The worst of it came in the outfield when he mimicked wagging his genitals towards the right field bleachers. 

There’s no other way to say it; that’s simply unacceptable, classless and immature behavior from a professional baseball player. But then again, Tatis once explained his positive test for performance enhancing drugs by saying he had “ring worm.” And is currently being sued by his baby mama for more child support, with the lawsuit claiming he’s seen his daughter just a handful of times for a total of four hours. 

Both sides in this debacle share some blame here. The Dodgers should have let the Machado incident go, instead of providing more fuel for the fire to a team that thrives on creating ways to be the victim. Dodgers fans embarrassed themselves by throwing things on the field, which is never an acceptable response. And several Padres players once again demonstrated that they can dish it out, but can’t take it. 

Even unbiased national baseball reporters like Ken Rosenthal have noticed. In an article reporting on the dugout throw, Rosenthal summarized how the Padres use “unbecoming” conduct to motivate themselves.

“As the Padres’ leader, Machado is entirely willing to engage in conduct some might consider unbecoming, and he’s unapologetic about it,” Rosenthal wrote. “The best way for the Dodgers to deal with him is to beat him. And that will be easier said than done.

Machado is far from the Padres’ only irritant. Fernando Tatis Jr. is a smiling, dancing peacock. Jurickson Profar is the kid who pulls the fire alarm at school and then asks, “Who, me?”

And there’s still at least two more games remaining in the series. Buckle up.