The Padres’ skipper, Mike Shildt, has no regrets over being responsible for the benches-clearing confrontation during Thursday’s game at Dodger Stadium. For the Padres’ manager, he would go to any extent to protect his players and his team. “I don’t regret standing up for a guy that I love in Tati and a team that I love and a city that I love and an organization that I love,” Shildt said at Petco Park after the Dodgers’ series.

It all started during the ninth inning of the game when debutant pitcher Jack Little’s 93 mph fastball hit Fernando Tatis Jr. in the wrist and sent the outfielder to the ground. This was not the first time, but the third time Tatis Jr. was hit by a wayward pitch from a Dodgers pitcher. This was enough for an often calm and composed Mike Shildt to lose his cool. The Padres’ manager stormed out of the visiting team’s dugout and started yelling towards the Dodgers’ dugout and Dave Roberts.

The tempers were such that the Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts, and Shildt were on the brink of a few blows. Moments later, benches cleared and chaos unfolded on the field. So, what began as a competitive contest ended with ejections and a string of suspensions involving both managers. A day after the game, MLB issued punishment to both skippers for the benches-clearing incident and the Padres reliever Robert Suarez for hitting Shohei Ohtani with a 100 mph fastball in the bottom of the inning.

“Reliever Robert Suarez 3 games (but he’s appealing and will be eligible until that appeal is heard). Padres Manager Mike Shildt gets a one-game suspension and fine. Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts gets a one-game suspension and a fine. Roberts and Shildt will serve their suspensions tonight,” MLB insider Buster Olney shared the list of suspensions from the game. When was the last time you saw both the rival managers getting suspended?

Well, MLB didn’t hold back when it came to disciplining the managers involved in the Dodgers-Padres clash. Both Shildt and Roberts were hit with one-game suspensions. They’re serving those suspensions today, June 20. On top of that, each was fined an undisclosed amount, though league norms suggest those fines typically fall below the $10,000 mark.

Interestingly, even though both benches emptied during the altercation, no other players were disciplined, with one exception. Padres reliever Robert Suarez was the only non-manager to face punishment for hitting Ohtani by pitch, a clear tactic of revenge. He received a three-game suspension, but he’s appealing the ruling and remains eligible to play until that appeal is resolved.

The game just got added to the otherwise decorated and intense Dodgers-Padres rivalry.

The Dodgers-Padres rivalry is historic yet one-sided

Well, you might argue that the Dodgers-Padres rivalry doesn’t have the century-long history of the Yankees–Red Sox or Cubs–Cardinals. Yes, but its recent rise has been fueled by high stakes, big personalities, and explosive moments. We can surely call it one of the most entertaining matchups in recent times.

But for decades, the matchup was mostly one-sided, with the Dodgers regularly contending and the Padres often rebuilding. Consider the last 10 games between the two. The Dodgers have a 7-3 record and have batted .247 as a team in their last 10 games against the Padres. The just-concluded series also went in the Dodgers’ favor by 3-1.

Yes, there were fireworks from the Padres’ end as well, and with a few new names post-2010s, they are coming up as a potent rival to the blue and white.

For instance, in 2022, the Padres eliminated the Dodgers in the NLDS, sending shockwaves through the league. That win marked a psychological shift. The Padres were no longer little brothers. They were now true contenders.

If you remember last year’s games between the Dodgers and Padres, you know what happened between Dave Roberts and the Padres’ slugger Manny Machado. That’s what sums up the atmosphere around this series.

Bench-clearing incidents, hit-by-pitches, trash talk, and stare-downs have become common. Players like Tatis Jr. and Machado have clashed with Dodgers pitchers and vice versa. Managers have exchanged words. Fans from both cities passionately defend their squads, especially with San Diego looking to emerge from L.A.’s shadow.

Just that, this time, both managers faced a sweet chin music from MLB for going overboard.