The Dodgers-Padres series at Dodger Stadium this June has been nothing short of fiery, with so many hit-by-pitches that it’s become hard to count.
The latest victim? Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr., and this time, it didn’t stop at just harsh words. Things turned physical, and to cap it off, it was the managers, Dave Roberts and Mike Shildt, at the center of it.
It all started when Andy Pages was plunked on the arm by a 98-mph fastball from Dylan Cease in the opener; a subtle threat soon after has now escalated into a full-blown HBP war.
Dave Roberts Pushes Mike Shildt During a Brawl After Fernando Tatis Jr.’s HBP
Tatis Jr. was drilled on his left hand by Dodgers’ reliever Jack Little at the top of the 9th inning; Little was on his MLB debut. That didn’t stop Padres manager Shildt, who ran out of patience after his star slugger was hit not once, but thrice by a Dodger pitcher this month.
Shildt charged out of the dugout, shouting toward the Dodgers’ side. Benches cleared as Roberts ran out to confront the Padres’ skipper as well. They met near the foul line for a heated exchange, and Roberts shoved Shildt, leading to even more chaos.
Benches cleared during Padres-Dodgers after Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit
Dave Roberts and Mike Shildt had words for each other pic.twitter.com/5NQkbRKtlg
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 20, 2025
Players and coaches rushed in to separate the two before the situation escalated further. No punches were thrown, but the rivalry reached a boiling point as both sides exchanged strong words.
After the game, Tatis Jr. didn’t hide his frustration. “Everybody knows Dodgers fans,” Tatis Jr. told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It’s part of the circus.”
Padres Plunk Shohei Ohtani in Revenge
When the Dodgers came out to hit next, in the bottom of the 9th, Padres pitcher Robert Suarez plunked Shohei Ohtani in what appeared to be a revenge of ‘you hit my best player, I hit yours.’
It seemed to follow through with Manny Machado’s subtle warning after the series opener, when Pages was drilled, and the reactions that followed.
“They’ve got way more superstars over there,” Machado had said. “If we want to hit somebody, they’ve got some big dogs over there we could hit.”
This time, that’s exactly what happened. But Ohtani kept his cool and chose not to escalate while signaling to the Dodgers’ dugout to stand down as well. The Dodgers might have dropped the final game 5-3, but they took the series win, 3-1, with this entire incident sparking buzz among fans.
“Roberts would kick the schitz out of Schitz, and it won’t even be close,” one Dodgers fan commented. A Padres fan fired back: “Dave Roberts is getting folded in three seconds against Mike Shildt.”
Another Padres fan was proud of his manager standing up for his boys. “I don’t agree with all his decisions,” they said. “But I love Mike Shildt as our manager. He is measured but won’t take BS from anyone.”
One fan simply called for a “suspension and fine” for Roberts’ actions. As the dust settled, a Dodgers fan pointed to the bigger picture: “Padres lost the series lmaooooo. They lost it in LA and in Dodger South hahaha.”
The two sides won’t face off again until August, but tensions are sure to resurface when they do. That’s still at least a month and a half away, with little expected to change in the NL West standings. The Dodgers remain in a strong position as leaders, while the Padres are five games behind.
Why is it acceptible for a manager to put his hands on another manager? Is it because that manager is the defending World Series champion? I think the Dodgers are bullies.
It was 3-1 for a series win. Not 2-1z
Jennifer: Thanks for reading and pointing out the error. It’s been fixed.