'Machado Series' LAD is painful, teacher-student relationship overshadowed verbal battle → clever throwing interference 'We focus only on baseball'

Oct 10, 2024

San Diego Padres Manny Machado is raising his voice toward the Dodgers dugout just before the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 2 of the Division Series on the 7th (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News

Manny Machado turns slightly toward the infield turf and interferes with first baseman Freddie Freeman's throw as he races to second base when Jackson Merrill hits a ground ball to first base in the bottom of the second inning. Photo = MLB.TV Capture

It is no exaggeration to say that the National League Division Series (NLDS) between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres is 'Machado Series'.

This is because he acted controversially in the second game held at Dodger Stadium on the 7th (Korea time). The situation was like this at the time.

Dodgers starter Jack Fleherty hit lead Fernando Tatis Jr. in the thigh in the top of the sixth inning. Jurickson Profar hit a bunt, making runners on the first and second bases with no outs. Fleherty then struck out Machado with a swing and miss, and provoked him with abusive language. Machado retreated to the dugout without much reaction.

Machado's behavior in question was in the middle of the inning ahead of the defense in the bottom of the sixth inning. Starter Darvish Yu was handed a warm-up pitching ball and threw it as if throwing it into the Dodgers dugout on the third base, and manager Dave Roberts was in the direction. Roberts bowed his head at the time and looked into something. Look at Machado's throw, right? 杉? After hearing about it later, he pointed out that "disrespectful".

Machado said "Always throw the ball to first base or third base after practice in the middle of the inning. He explained, "I didn't mean to do it.' San Diego coach Mike Shildt shot Roberts, saying, `I don't disparage other team players, especially those who used to be with me.'

Machado was traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Dodgers in July 2018 and shared a team-up with Roberts for more than three months until World Siri. Director Silt mentioned this.

L.A. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks at the ground from the dugout ahead of Game 3 of the Division Series on the 9th (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News

And after taking a day off, Game 3 was held at Petco Park on the 9th. Machado's 'Dougout Throwing', which had been hotly debated for 48 hours, was no longer an issue. Both teams focused only on the game, but there was no dispute over Machado.

However, Machado's witty base running was the decisive play that led to San Diego's victory.

Machado went out as a leadoff hitter in the bottom of the second inning, trailing 0-1, and hit a low cutter in the middle of 92.8 miles of Dodgers starter Walker Buehler for a heavy hit. Jackson Merrill then hit a ground ball flowing toward first base. Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman's difficult catch and kneel down to second base hit Machado's back and flowed to left field, leading to a chance to first and third bases with no outs.

At this time, Machado's base learning was somewhat special. Freeman's throw hit him in the back the moment he ran to second base while stepping on the grass slightly off the "running lane". Freeman's field selection and throwing errors on the record,

MLB.com threw to second with Freeman in front of '1st base on his knees, and Machado slightly switched his main over the infield turf. Unless he changed the main line to avoid the tag, it is not a violation of the rules' Freeman's throw hit Machado in the back, and the Padres had a chance to hit first and third bases with no outs.

Shortstop Miguel Rojas, who caught Xander Bogaerts' ground ball, then stepped on second base and threw it to first base, but all the runners were safe. a fielder's choice without a mistake. In the meantime, Machado, the third baseman, homered and tied 1-1.

Manny Machado hits the middle of the second inning in Game 3 and shows a hand heart toward his dugout teammates. AP Yonhap News

San Diego then ran away 6-1 with David Peralta's two-run double to center field, Kyle Higashioka's sacrifice fly to center field and Fernando Tatis Jr.'s two-run homer to left. The Dodgers gradually followed with Teoscar Hernandez's grand slam in the top of the third inning, but San Diego later thoroughly blocked additional runs and won a thrilling victory. This is because Machado's intentional obstruction of throwing shook the Dodgers greatly.

Roberts said after the game, `I couldn't appeal. From my point of view, it wasn't a challenge situation where I could look back into the play. Manny, i.e. runners, can free up base learning unless it's to avoid tags. "Heady play..." acknowledged Machado's wit.

Machado is practicing this bass learning "all the way through the spring training. Just in time, such a situation emerged at a very important moment. We were able to make a base in our favor, and we were going to make it difficult for him to throw to second base the moment the ground ball went in front of Freddie." It was a planned base learning.

Machado was 4 for 14 (0.286), one home run, two RBIs, three runs scored and an OPS of 0.786 until Game 3. He has a strong presence in Gongsuju and as a team leader.