The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres series was full of drama, unsurprisingly, and even ended in complete chaos. Padres pitcher Robert Suarez hit Shohei Ohtani in the back as retribution for Fernando Tatis Jr.'s injury, which was also caused by a HBP. Suarez was the victim in this entire scenario, as he was tasked with getting revenge on the Dodgers and hitting Ohtani. Shohei did a tremendous job of, well, keeping the peace. He was rightly not punished, as he kept the benches from clearing a second time. However, the fact that only one Dodger was suspended in the aftermath of this mess will surely rub Padres fans, and many around baseball, the wrong way.
Tatis Jr. was hit multiple times this series, and he's been a frequent target of the Dodgers. There's a reason the likes of Manny Machado and Co. were so angry when he was hit again on Thursday night. Machado even issued a warning to the Dodgers, which should make their August series a must-watch if both teams are still in contention.
Dodgers suspensions were lacking as compared to Padres
Manager Dave Roberts was the only Dodger suspended for Thursday night's affair, which seems like an oversight by MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred. Both teams rushed the field, with Tatis Jr. as the main victim who had to undergo an MRI for his hurt wrist. Given how important he is to the Padres roster and MLB as a whole, surely one Dodgers player could've been punished for the act of hitting him repeatedly, and throwing inside far too often.
Thankfully, Tatis Jr. was in the Padres lineup on Friday. While he may be in a considerable amount of pain, it appears the Padres avoided their worst-case scenario.
Roberts in particular could've received a more lengthy suspension, as he took multiple stars out of Thursday night's game, which the Padres won. Then, all hell broke loose. Roberts' explanation for seemingly forfeiting the game prior to the drama wasn't great.
“I’m taking starters out of the game, trying to get this game over with and get this kid a couple innings," Roberts said. "And so that’s why, I felt, I took that personal. Because I understand the game, and I understand that it doesn’t feel good to get hit.”
Dave Roberts deserved a lengthy suspension, yet didn't receive one
Roberts bumped Padres manager Mike Shildt when the benches clear, yet he received a one-game suspension – which was the same as his managerial counterpart. Something doesn't add up here, and the Dodgers received the benefit of the doubt when they probably did not deserve it. There are two sides to every coin, and the benches wouldn't have cleared on Thursday if Los Angeles didn't play their role in the drama.
The Dodgers are the defending World Series champions and are the best well-run organization in MLB. They've earned the right to receive that accolade, and there's a reason so many MLB stars rush to sign with them, whether they are overseas stars or domestic free agents. That being said, as it pertains to punishment for regular-season skirmishes, they should not get special treatment.
Manfred surely didn't intend for his response to be interpreted as such, but it's tough not to see it that way.