The wounds of playoff demise were still afresh when the San Diego Padres stumbled again against the Los Angeles Dodgers. And this might sting even more since the scoreboard read 8-7. The atmosphere was electric, and the Padres proved to everyone why they are often called the arch-rivals of the Dodgers. They went neck and neck until the end, but alas, LA found themselves a little bit luckier this time. And as if that wasn’t enough, the Padres have found themselves in the middle of a controversy that has become the talk of the town.

The game was tied at 6-6 during the ninth inning. Both teams combined to put 11 runs on the scoreboard in the first three innings. The stage was all set for a nail-biting finish. Then came the opportunity in the tenth inning for the Dodgers, and Tommy Edman and Andy Pages utilized it well with a single and a double, putting the Dodgers ahead. With the mounting pressure on the Padres, Manny Machado, also known as the Dodgers’ No. 1 enemy, stepped up to the plate.

Everyone rooted for him, but unfortunately, he ended up getting called out on strikes by the umpire. What followed was a scathing outburst at the umpire as Machado disagreed with the call. Such was the intensity that the entire incident was captured on camera. It will probably go down as one of the best umpire-cam moments this season. Right after being called out, he left home plate and approached the umpire, uttering words in protest that were eventually caught on the live mic.

Although the words Machado spoke weren’t revealed, the question is, was the call legit? Well, Machado expected it to be called a ball, but instead, it was ruled a borderline strike, which eventually led to the Padres trailing by 8-6. Then, as he was called out, the frustrated outburst was bound to happen. Interestingly, it wasn’t just him venting his frustration. 

The Padres manager, Mike Shildt, soon joined Machado. The reason is pretty obvious, isn’t it? Had they managed to draw a walk, the Padres could have had two runners on with no outs, and the result might have been different. Unfortunately, he was called out, right in the clutch moment when the team needed Machado the most.

The Padres still managed to score a run with the help of Jackson Merrill’s double. But with Xander Bogaerts and Gavin Sheets also getting out, it was all over for the Padres. Incidents like this often take away from the excitement fans expect in a high-intensity faceoff between teams like the Dodgers and Padres. However, the good thing is that Machado still showcased his real power.

The Dodgers’ public enemy No. 1 is going red hot in form for the Padres

The Padres must be happy with the way things are going at the moment. They are currently ranked third in the NL West. And if anyone deserves credit is their 32-year-old third baseman, who has been exceeding expectations.

Machado played a crucial role in the Padres’ victory over the Brewers. His home runs helped the team secure two wins in the three-game series. It started with Machado’s home run in the eighth inning on Friday. Then, he hit another on Sunday, resulting in a 1-0 win.

“That’s a good starting pitching staff over there. They pinpointed it and mixed it up. Pitched really well. I got two mistakes this series, and I took advantage,” said Machado. He has worked on his swing and has improved massively this season. Machado is hitting .320 with a .898 OPS. He has scored 10 runs and recorded 34 RBIs, with seven of his last home runs coming in his last 16 appearances. 

Additionally, Machado is only the second player in Padres history to record seven consecutive seasons with double-digit home runs. The first player to do so for the Padres was Dave Winfield. Heaping praise on Machado, manager Mike Shildt said he loves the way Machado is approaching his at-bats. Hopefully, there’s more to come in the upcoming games.