The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres rivalry reached a boiling point on June 17, 2025, at Dodger Stadium, delivering a night packed with tense moments, hit batters, umpire warnings, and a rare managerial ejection. The Dodgers narrowly edged out the Padres 8-6 in the second game of their four-game National League West series, but the drama extended far beyond the scoreboard.
It all escalated in the fiery third inning, a pivotal stretch that saw two of baseball's biggest stars plunked by pitches, igniting tempers on both sides. First, Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit in the back by a 95.4 mph sinker from Dodgers reliever Lou Trivino. This marked the second time in two weeks Trivino had hit Tatis, stirring memories and tension from their previous encounter.
Just an inning later, Dodgers' reigning National League MVP Shohei Ohtani was struck on the right leg, just above the knee, by a 94 mph fastball from Padres starter Randy Vásquez. The pitch came after Vásquez had thrown two inside balls to Ohtani, with the second one hitting him. Ohtani limped gingerly to first base, eliciting heavy boos from the crowd, but soon shared a lighthearted moment with Padres first baseman Luis Arráez, showing resilience amid the intensity.
Despite Vásquez and Padres manager Mike Shildt insisting the pitch was unintentional—Shildt described it as "a ball got away"—Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was emphatic in his belief that Ohtani was "absolutely" hit on purpose. Roberts pointed out, "Vásquez took one shot at him, and then hit him again. It's very hard to miss that bad with a right-handed pitcher." He added, "I do feel it was intentional. Again, that's part of baseball, which we all understand." The Dodgers dugout was visibly fired up, reflecting the high stakes and simmering rivalry.
Following Ohtani's hit-by-pitch, umpires convened and issued warnings to both benches. However, Roberts was not satisfied with the blanket warnings and sought an explanation from crew chief Marvin Hudson. Defying Hudson's explicit instruction to remain in the dugout, Roberts stepped onto the field to argue, leading to his ejection by third base umpire Tripp Gibson. This marked Roberts' first ejection of the 2025 season and the 13th of his managerial career.
Hudson later explained, "He can't argue the warnings, so we had to get rid of him." Roberts expressed frustration over the perceived inconsistency, noting that Padres manager Mike Shildt was later allowed to discuss the warnings with the umpires while Roberts was sidelined. "For me, I wanted an explanation of what's going on for their decision making. And I got run," Roberts lamented. "Just there was no consistency."
The heated atmosphere was a continuation of the previous night's tension, when Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages was hit by a 98 mph fastball from Padres starter Dylan Cease, sparking a tense staredown. Pages, who had just hit a double in that at-bat, maintained that he believed Cease's pitch was intentional, while Padres infielder Manny Machado dismissed the notion, stating, "They got way more superstars over there if we want to hit somebody." Pages responded to the prior night's drama with a stellar four-for-four performance on Tuesday, including a go-ahead home run in the second inning, a tying shot in the fourth, and an RBI single during a five-run rally, boosting his batting average to .293.
The game continued with more tense moments. In the seventh inning, Dodgers reliever Matt Sauer hit Padres shortstop Jose Iglesias on the left hand with a pitch. Although Iglesias exited the game, X-rays were negative, and the Padres accepted the umpire's ruling that there was no intent behind the hit. Manny Machado vocally protested from the warning track, but Sauer remained in the game. Trenton Brooks followed with a pinch-hit home run, keeping the Padres' hopes alive.
The rivalry's intensity was further highlighted by a controversial call involving Tatis at second base. Initially ruled out on a fielder's choice, home plate umpire Ryan Blakney called time, allowing Tatis to remain on base. Tatis eventually scored on a run-scoring balk by Michael Kopech after a misplay, underscoring the game's dramatic twists.
Despite the tension and physicality, the Dodgers managed to hold on, with Anthony Banda stranding the bases loaded in the eighth and Tanner Scott securing his 14th save, pitching for the third consecutive day. "We all understand how important this is," Banda said. "The emotions are high. They're always going to be high in this type of playoff atmosphere. The fans were into it. Everybody was loud. It was fun to be a part of." Roberts, watching from his office after his ejection, echoed the sentiment: "It was a fun game, unfortunately, to watch from my office. But our guys really played well. … Huge win."
The Dodgers' 8-6 victory widened their lead over the Padres to five games in the NL West, but the rivalry's flames are far from extinguished. With two more games remaining in this series and two additional matchups scheduled for August, both teams are bracing for more heated encounters. Given their current standings, a postseason showdown seems increasingly likely.
Reflecting on the rivalry's evolution, Roberts noted, "When you get familiar with an opponent, that's kind of the natural progression, I guess. We just saw these guys three days, and these games are certainly meaningful. So, [there's] extra emotion." Shildt, for his part, expressed appreciation for the fierce competition, saying, "We love it. I wish we could play every night."
As the Dodgers-Padres rivalry continues to deliver high drama, star players like Ohtani, Tatis, and Pages find themselves at the center of intense battles that go beyond mere statistics. The recent hit-by-pitches and managerial ejection underscore the passion and stakes involved, promising more fireworks as the season unfolds.
