The tensions between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres exploded once again Thursday night, as a weeklong series loaded with hit-by-pitches and rising frustrations came to a head. In the final game of the four-game set at Dodger Stadium, both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani were hit by pitches — triggering a benches-clearing standoff, multiple ejections, and pointed words from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
The Padres won the game 5–3, but the score took a backseat to the chaos that unfolded in the ninth inning. Dodgers rookie Jack Little, making his Major League debut, hit Tatis on the hand with a fastball. Minutes later, Padres reliever Robert Suarez plunked Ohtani in the upper back with a 100 mph fastball. The result: both managers ejected, a reliever tossed, and a rivalry that refuses to cool down.
It was the second time this week that both Tatis and Ohtani were hit in the same game. In total, eight Padres and Dodgers players were hit over four tense matchups. But Thursday’s showdown had a breaking point — and Roberts made it clear afterward that he didn’t appreciate the accusations coming from the other dugout.
“I’m taking starters out of the game, trying to get this game over with and get this kid a couple innings,” Roberts told reporters, according to MLB.com. “So that’s why I took it personal.”
What sparked the ninth-inning chaos?
The scene unraveled quickly. After Little’s pitch hit Tatis, Padres manager Mike Shildt initially ran out to check on his star player — but soon turned toward Roberts in anger. Words were exchanged, Roberts confronted Shildt near home plate, and the benches cleared moments later.
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As players rushed the field, Roberts appeared visibly frustrated. After a brief scrum, tempers cooled, and the teams returned to their dugouts. But the next at-bat brought more controversy.
With the Dodgers mounting a rally and Ohtani at the plate, Suarez hit him on a 3-0 count — high and inside. Suarez was ejected immediately, triggering the automatic removal of acting manager Brian Esposito due to prior warnings.
Roberts points to intent behind Ohtani HBP
Speaking after the game, Roberts didn’t hesitate to suggest that Suarez’s pitch was deliberate. “It’s 3-and-0,” he said. “This is a right-handed pitcher going cross-court to hit Shohei up and in. That’s a hard throw… Clearly there was intent behind it.”
Padres push back: “Enough is enough”
The Padres, however, were furious that Tatis was hit again — for the third time in nine days. Shildt suggested intent or not, the frequency warranted a response. “After a while, enough’s enough,” said the manager. “Intentional, unintentional — the fact of the matter is, I took exception with it.”
Tatis himself downplayed the intent behind Thursday’s HBP but expressed mounting frustration. “For me it wasn’t [intentional] in the moment,” Tatis said. “But how many times have they hit me already?”
What’s next in this NL West rivalry?
The Dodgers and Padres won’t meet again until mid-August, giving both clubs time to refocus on the playoff race. Whether the bad blood will still be simmering remains to be seen — but history between these two clubs suggests it might be far from over.
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“We don’t see these guys for a while,” Roberts said. “But we’re just going to try to win as many games as we can before we see them again.”
