The series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres is heating up. After the Padres defeated the Diamondbacks 7-1 on Friday, Padres manager Mike Shildt took exception to a brushback pitch that Scott McGough threw at Fernando Tatis Jr. in the ninth inning in his postgame media session.
“We’re seeing way too many pitches up and in on Tatis,’’ Shildt told reporters, including USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “It’s enough. It really is enough. If you want to throw in, that’s fine. But I don’t know what people are trying to accomplish by throwing up and in. All you’re doing is pissing the guy off, and it’s uncalled for. It’s happening way too frequently, and it’s not something that we’re going to tolerate much longer.”
In his pregame media session with the Arizona media, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo responded to those comments by Shildt.
“He’s got to protect his players the same way that I would. I definitely, 100%, and you can check the track record, do not believe in intentionally throwing at batters. If you are going to push somebody at the plate, never ever around the head. It happens, I hated that it happened. I happen to be a big fan of Fernando Tatis, I think he’s great for the game. For us to intentionally throw a ball at 90+ MPH at somebody’s head is not anything I believe in.”
Scott McGough also spoke to the media in the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse. McGough said that he was not throwing at Tatis’ head on purpose and that it’s not a part of his game.
With tempers potentially heating up between the two teams, it’ll be interesting to see if there is any retaliation on San Diego’s end for the rest of the series and how the umpires will try to prevent the situation from escalating further. First pitch for Saturday’s game at Chase Field will be at 5:10 PM MST.
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