Baseball fans think Manny Machado got away with dirty slide against Cardinals
By John Buhler
Baseball fans just about lost it when Manny Machado decided to slide 20 feet away from the second base bag.
During the series finale between the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals, Padres third baseman Manny Machado decided a takeout slide of Cardinals second basemen Tommy Edman 20 feet away from the second base bag was in order.
San Diego won the game 5-3 to improve to 24-17 on the year, handing the NL Central-leading Cardinals their 18th loss of the season. While it was only one game of 162, baseball fans just about lost it on Twitter Sunday evening over Machado’s controversial slide. Though the maneuver was clearly intentional, the question of whether it was dirty or not is in question.
See for yourself if Machado’s takeout slide of Edman was dirty or not.
Not exactly sure what Manny Machado was going for here, but I know if a Dodgers player did this the entire city of San Diego would be on their way to LA with pitchforks pic.twitter.com/mvZUBnUccA
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) May 17, 2021
Manny Machado’s takeout slide of Tommy Edman causes Twitter to erupt
Naturally, Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers fans think Machado’s slide of Edman is the worst thing to happen to baseball since the Steroid Era.
https://twitter.com/DannyKLive/status/1394091764886253576
what manny machado did according to cardinals and dodger fans pic.twitter.com/qT1Yu6KuvZ
— Cosha (@pochineskyy) May 17, 2021
Manny Machado has never done anything wrong in his life other than being a dodger but that wasn’t his fault
— Giannis Auntiegotapoodle (@TooMuchMortons_) May 17, 2021
As far as Padres fans, they are defending Machado’s slide like he is “Mr. Padre” Tony Gwynn himself.
https://twitter.com/DoyersDave/status/1394130675846946821
Manny Machado when he seen Chase Utley’s slide in the locker room pic.twitter.com/wAuiBzFNF7
— 🇲🇽 (@bellingersworId) May 17, 2021
So can you just slide 20 ft away from the bag now or is Manny Machado still the biggest jerk in the league?
— Cardinals Talk (@theredbird_way) May 17, 2021
Ultimately, this slide falls somewhere in between. Had it have been carried out closer to the second base bag, few would have any issue with it. Of course, there are baseball fans who would have ripped Machado to shreds for falling down like a sack of potatoes.
“Manny Machado is a dirty player !” people are the same people mad if he does a half-hearted jog to get tagged out there. Uncle.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) May 17, 2021
A year ago we had no idea when sports would be back. Fast forward 365 days and Padres Twitter is in full force defending Manny Machado. We’re cherishing these moments
— John (@Friar_Faithful) May 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/PadresWes/status/1394279229546696704
I NEED Genesis to hit Machado in the face next inning
— Ethan (@eadess3) May 17, 2021
While Machado’s slide may be questioned, what he set out to execute was successfully executed.
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