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The Los Angeles Dodgers were able to pull off a win against the division rival San Diego Padres in what has become a hotly contested rivalry.
The Dodgers led the Padres by just a single game in the standings going into the Monday matchup and it took them 10 innings to pull out the win. It seems the two teams are as evenly matched now as they were in the playoffs last year, when they met in a five-game National League Division Series that featured some proverbial fireworks.
There was vitriol from fans, hits by pitches and plenty of words exchanged between players. But the dramatic peak came when Padres third baseman Manny Machado appeared to fling a baseball toward the Dodgers dugout, nearly hitting manager Dave Roberts if it were not for a protective net.
“There was intent behind it,” Roberts later said of that throw, per MLB.com. “It didn’t almost hit me because there was a net. And that was very bothersome. If it was intended at me … it’s pretty disrespectful.”
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Machado played for Roberts for part of the 2018 season after he was traded to the Dodgers from the Baltimore Orioles. And it seems that the two still have a good relationship, despite the chippiness from last year’s playoffs.
Roberts told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez that he’s decided to talk with his former player during this series, suggesting the two will put any on-field issues behind them.
“I’m sure we’ll chat,” Roberts said. “There’s a mutual respect. Like I said last year, it’s gamesmanship. We’re doing what we can to help our clubs win. But the love and respect, nothing’s changed.”
Despite Roberts’ message, Machado’s actions haven’t always shown a lot of love for his former manager.
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