Manny Machado Warns Dodgers to Pray for Fernando Tatis Jr.’s Health as Benches Get Clear in Series Finale

Fernando Tatis Jr. got hit by pitch for a 2nd time in this 4-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and would later undergo testing.


Manny Machado Warns Dodgers to Pray for Fernando Tatis Jr.’s Health as Benches Get Clear in Series Finale

Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado (Image via Imago)

Things got chirpy between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres once again. In the top of the 9th inning, Fernando Tatis Jr. once again got hit by a pitch, which left him in discomfort. After the game, Manny Machado issued warning to his former team and urged them to ‘pray‘ for Tatis’ health.

After losing 3 games of the series, the Padres entered the 9th inning with a 5-0 lead and were on way to a win over their National League West division rivals. Tatis Jr., who had got hit previously in this series, found himself being hit again.

In the series finale on Thursday, the 2-time MLB All-Star got hit for the 3rd time this season by a Dodgers pitcher. Reliever Jack Little was the one who came under the spotlight this time.

After his pitch hit Tatis Jr., Padres manger Mike Shildt would come out of his bench to express his frustrations. Moments later, benches would get clear as Dave Roberts would argue with his counterpart.

Machado was one of the Padres star who did not seem pleased with this hit on his teammate. While speaking with the media after the game, he would warn his former club to pray that the test results of Tatis Jr. come out negative.

Let’s just hope the CT scan comes back negative. They gotta pray it comes back negative tomorrow.

As per manager Mike Shildt, the initial X-rays came back inconclusive. However, he added that the player was not in a “good place” after the hit by pitch.

Fernando Tatis Jr. was not the only one who got hit in this game

Fernando Tatis Jr. got hit by a pitch for the second time in this series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, for a 2nd time, he was not the only one who got drilled by a pitch.

Fernando Tatis Jr.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (Image via X/@mlbelites_)

Just an inning later in the bottom of the 9th, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani got hit by the pitch. Earlier this series, Ohtani got hit in the lower body after Tatis Jr. had been hit.

In the 9th inning, the Japanese international got hit by Robert Suarez leading to huge boos from the fans at Dodger Stadium. The two-way star though would urge everyone to stay calm and not escalate things.

The umpires would eject Suarez out of the game after this hit. Ohtani meanwhile, would have some words and even shook hands with him.

The Padres went on to win the game 5-3 and avoided getting swept in this 4-game series. The two teams will now face each other in August. Given what happened in this game, things could get heated in their next encounter.

Mike Shildt claims enough is enough after Fernando Tatis Jr. got hit by pitch again

There is no love lost between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. In the final game of the 4-game series between them, a total of 6 hit by pitches were recorded. After the game, manager Mike Shildt expressed that enough is enough after Fernando Tatis Jr. got taken out.

Mike Shildt and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Mike Shildt and Fernando Tatis Jr. (Image via MLB)

After Tatis Jr. got hit, Shildt immediately ran out of his bench to speak with the umpires. He even got involved in an altercation with Dave Roberts, with his opposition manager shoving him while he was speaking with the umpires.

When asked by a reporter whether the hit by pitch to Tatis Jr. for him was intentional or not, he expressed that he like to think it was not.

I’d like to think not, but I can’t say that only a couple people know that. And whether it was or it wasn’t, enough is enough. We’ve got a guy that’s getting X-rays right now. It’s one of the best players in the game, of course on our team, and this guy has taken shots.

Only time will now reveal how bad the situation is regarding Tatis Jr. at the moment. The 26-year-old has been one of the top performers of his team and has batted with a .270 average in 72 games while hitting 13 home runs and driving in 31 runs.

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