The rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres continues to be among the most heated in all of Major League Baseball.
Things got elevated even further during the third inning of Tuesday's contest versus the Friars.
Padres pitcher Randy Vasquez just hit Shohei Ohtani with a pitch right in the leg.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 18, 2025
Ohtani was in big-time pain after pic.twitter.com/hyYY6FXAdq
Dodgers star player Shohei Ohtani was plunked by a Randy Vasquez 94 mph fastball right in the leg. Ohtani was in visible pain as he limped gingerly to first base.
Dave Roberts has been ejected after ripping the umpire following Shohei Ohtani getting hit with a dirty pitch.
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 18, 2025
There’s been few times we’ve seen Doc mad like this pic.twitter.com/ZsOuoMbRlb
This didn't sit well with manager Dave Roberts. He came out of the dugout to angrily voice his displeasure over what had just occurred. Vasquez ended up staying in the game — though Roberts ended up being tossed in a show of emotion rarely seen from the jovial manager.
Dave Roberts has been ejected after both benches were warned following Shohei Ohtani getting hit by a pitch
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 18, 2025
Fernando Tatis Jr. was also hit by a pitch in the top half of the inning. This all comes after things got chippy when Andy Pages was plunked last night pic.twitter.com/ilVhCmHjNi
Ultimately, this appears to be one of unwritten rules of the game where star players often bear the brunt of being hit by pitches in the wake of one side being upset with the other.
On Monday evening, outfielder Andy Pages agitated the Padres for his reaction after being hit by a Dylan Cease 98 mile-per-hour pitch. This caused a stare down between the two players. Pages had hit a double in the at-bat before being plunked. After the game , Padres infielder Manny Machado wasn't exactly complimentary of Pages.
Earlier in Tuesday's contest, Fernando Tatis Jr. got hit by a Lou Trivino fastball in the back — presumably in retaliation for the Pages hubbub. With Ohtani also getting hit by a pitch, it's no surprise to see Roberts ardently supporting the best player on his team in the manner he did.
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