Dodgers Beat Padres Amid Machado-Roberts Dugout Incident

The Los Angeles Dodgers recently defeated the San Diego Padres 5-2 to win their three-game series, demonstrating resilience after a previous blowout loss. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised his team's ability to bounce back and highlighted the strong performances from pitchers, including utility player Kiké Hernández's rare mound appearance and reliever Ben Casparius's promising start. The rivalry between the Dodgers and Padres remains intense, fueled by incidents such as Padres third baseman Manny Machado throwing a baseball toward the Dodgers' dugout during the 2024 NLDS, nearly hitting Roberts, an act Roberts described as intentional and disrespectful. Despite the tension, Roberts has emphasized that mutual respect remains between him and Machado, who played under Roberts in 2018, and both have expressed intentions to move past the incident. Roberts has characterized the rivalry as gamesmanship, focusing on winning while maintaining personal respect, even calling Machado like a son. The ongoing competition between these two teams continues to be one of Major League Baseball’s most heated rivalries.