MLB playoffs: Roberts attacks Machado’s ‘unsettling’ throw at Dodgers dugout

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said it was “unsettling” that a ball San Diego’s Manny Machado threw into the Dodgers dugout seemed intended for him during Sunday’s fiery NL Division Series game.

It was one of several incidents on Sunday that prompted Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty and Machado to exchange profanities as the Padres evened the series with a 10-2 victory in which San Diego hit six home runs. Two of those were by Fernando Tatis Jr, who was hit by a pitch by Flaherty, which also angered Machado. Flaherty also hollered at Machado after striking him out with two runners on in the sixth.

Roberts said he didn’t notice Machado’s throw in real time but later saw a video of the incident. “It was unsettling. ... And the ball was directed at me with something behind it.”

Roberts said the ball didn’t hit him because of netting.

“That was very bothersome. If it was intended at me, I would be very – it’s pretty disrespectful,” Roberts said as the teams prepared for Tuesday’s Game 3.

Third base umpire Tripp Gibson spoke with Machado about the incident but Roberts said: “I don’t think they should have had a little arm-around-each-other conversation. If players can throw balls at opposing managers, you know.”

Fans at Dodger Stadium tossed baseballs and trash on to the field, causing a 12-minute delay during the seventh inning of Sunday night’s game. The baseballs were seemingly aimed at Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar. The tension started when Profar had robbed Mookie Betts of a home run in the first inning. As Betts rounded the bases, Profar trolled Dodgers fans by hopping up and down for several seconds, seeming to pretend he had failed to secure the ball, before showing the crowd he had caught it.

Flaherty said on Sunday night that Machado “did some shit in between innings. He threw a ball at our dugout. There was no reason for that.”

Asked about Flaherty’s accusation, Machado said, “I throw balls all the time into dugouts. Both dugouts. They have bad balls, you throw the ball back in there.”

Flaherty said he wished he had “held it together a little bit better.”

Flaherty, who grew up in the Los Angeles area, was obtained from Detroit on 30 July.

“I’m not trying to be that player that’s going back and forth with somebody in the dugout,” Flaherty said. “I was done. Things were said, it’s hard to hear. We’ve got to do a better job of getting things done on the field.”

The Dodgers will start Walker Buehler while the Padres will go with Michael King, who struck out 12 in his first playoff start in a 4-0 win in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against Atlanta.

“It’s good to be able to have a day off, reset, have a workout here shortly. And there’s going to be a lot of emotions tomorrow,” Roberts said.

Roberts grew up in northern San Diego county, played for the Padres for two seasons and later was on their coaching staff, including serving as interim manager for one game after Bud Black was fired in 2015.

“Part of it is trying to drown out the noise. The other part of it is using it as fuel. So I think that collectively, we’ll be ready to go,” Roberts said.