The rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres reached a boiling point in Thursday night’s series finale, as eight batters were hit by pitches during the seven-game span—and tensions exploded in a benches-clearing brawl during the Dodgers’ 5–3 loss.
Fernando Tatis Jr. was plunked on the hand by Dodgers rookie Jack Little in the top of the ninth, prompting Padres manager Mike Shildt to charge out and confront home-plate umpire, then Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Both benches emptied amidst pushing and shoving before umpires intervened.
In response, Robert Suárez, the Padres’ closer, drilled Shohei Ohtani with a 100‑mph fastball in the bottom of the frame. Ohtani helped de-escalate by signaling his teammates to stay put, preventing further escalation.
MLB handed out suspensions and fines: Robert Suárez received a 3-game suspension (pending appeal) and was fined for the HBP on Ohtani. Both managers, Shildt and Roberts, were suspended one game and fined for their roles in instigating the benches-clearing melee.
Mike Shildt justified the fireworks:“We got a guy who’s getting X-rays right now… teams I manage don’t take anything,” he said, referencing Tatis’s repeated plunkings.
Dave Roberts defended the Dodgers’ intent: “There was clearly intent there,” he remarked after Suárez hit Ohtani following his own player being previously plunked.
The tensions traced back to earlier in the series—with Tatis hit three times by Dodgers pitchers—and eight HBPs in total since the first game. No wonder the rivalry has reached a fever pitch.
Tatis’s status is encouraging—initial X-rays were negative, and he’s expected back in the lineup after further CT scans and MRI came back clean.
This wasn’t just a game—it was a battle. With pitchers targeting stars, benches clearing, and fiery words exchanged, fans got a taste of baseball at its most passionate. The Dodgers and Padres have added another explosive chapter to their rivalry—and baseball lovers are watching closely.