Will Smith savages Padres veteran after benches clear over inside pitch
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith took a shot at San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar after their benches clearing argument.
By Scott Rogust
Even though the 2024 MLB season isn't even a month old, there have been plenty of tense moments thus far, resulting in benches clearing. On Saturday night, it just so happens that two NL West rivals saw both dugouts and bullpens clear out. Those teams were the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Dodgers starter Gavin Stone threw an inside pitch that nearly hit Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar. The outfielder wasn't happy about and had a heated discussion with Dodgers catcher Will Smith. That resulted in both benches clearing, but there was no physicality. Rather, it was to separate both Profar and Smith.
The benches clear in LA after Jurickson Profar took exception to this inside pitch pic.twitter.com/fKbFiLyD3o
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 14, 2024
Wil Smith takes savage shot at Jurickson Profar after Saturday's Dodgers-Padres game
As the commentators on the broadcast point out, Stone was in the midst of a perfect game at that moment. Even so, Profar didn't appreciate nearly getting hit in the side by a fastball.
After the game, which the Dodgers won 5-2, Smith was asked by reporters about the incident. Smith said he was curious why Profar thought the Dodgers would try to plunk him. The catcher then took a shot at Profar, saying, "he's kind of irrelevant." Smith's comments come courtesy of Sportsnet LA's David Vassegh.
Will Smith told us this on the postgame show about the Profar drama in the 4th inning:
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) April 14, 2024
"I don't know why we would have thrown at him...he's kind of irrelevant. " #Dodgers #Padres #DodgersRadio
And just like that, Sunday night's series finale just got that much more interesting following Smith's comments. Not only that, but Profar will be mic'd up during the ESPN broadcast for a mid-game interview as well. Get your popcorn ready, fans!
Speaking of Profar, the outfielder said that he initially believed Stone threw at him for showing a bunt attempt during the perfect game but accepted that the pitcher wouldn't do that with a perfect game going. Profar would say that his argument with Smith was more "heat of the moment.
“It was just the heat of the moment,” Profar said, h/t MLB.com. “I wasn’t trying to get the team energized or anything like that. We don’t need that. We have a good team. We don’t need any of that.”
Profar finished Saturday's game going one-for-four at the plate while striking out once. Stone, meanwhile, lost the perfect game in the top of the sixth inning after walking Tyler Wade and surrendering a single to Kyle Higashioka.
First pitch between the Dodgers and Padres on Sunday is set for 7:10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
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