Padres Vet Blasts Dodgers Star for Stealing Pirates Rookie’s Spotlight in ‘All-Time Sc*mbag Move’

Cam Devanney was on his way home Friday night when his phone rang. On the other end was Triple-A Indianapolis manager Shawn Bowman with the news every ballplayer dreams of: he was heading to Boston to join the Pirates! Reportedly, the call-up came after Ronny Simon landed on the 10-day IL with a dislocated shoulder.

And guess what, Devanney’s big-league dream turned real in the third inning, when he notched his first career hit, a single to left. But the moment didn’t stay sweet for long. Fans quickly noticed on video that Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan kept the ball and tossed it back in for the next pitch, rather than letting it be saved as a milestone souvenir. The move sparked a wave of backlash online, with many calling it a shady stunt by the Dodgers. More so, Padres veteran Eric Hosmer also came down hard against Sheehan for deliberately sabotaging a rookie moment.

“Pending more information…. Another all-time sc*mbag move,” Hosmer reshared Ben Verlander’s post showing a slow-motion video of how Sheehan replaced the souvenir ball with another.

Well, in the slowed-down clip, you can see Emmet Sheehan grab a fresh ball from the umpire, then go to toss back the one Devanney had just put in play. But instead, it looks like he makes a quick switch. Thus, keeping Devanney’s ball tucked in his glove to use again. Yes, there’s no official word confirming that’s what really happened, but Pirates fans weren’t buying any excuses.

They shared the video all over social media, insisting the Dodgers signaled for Sheehan to hang onto the ball.

Weird? Definitely. But the story still had the ending fans were hoping for. Despite the online outrage, Devanney cleared the air afterward, saying he and Sheehan go back to their minor league days. And yes, he did end up with the right ball in his hands. “I’m not entirely sure what happened. I actually found out just moments ago, but I think I did get the right one,” Devanney said.

The Dodgers have no dearth of controversies this year

This latest incident involving Sheehan is just an addition to the long list of controversies by the Dodgers this year.

Remember when the Dodgers found themselves in the middle of that immigration controversy in L.A.? Reportedly, back in June, during federal enforcement actions near Dodger Stadium, the team’s silence didn’t sit well with the Latino community. They eventually explained that ICE agents were never let into the ballpark, but by then, protests had already flared up over what many saw as discrimination and poor communication!

Wait, there’s more…

Add in the cloud around former pitcher Julio Urias and his suspension. And hence, it’s clear that the Dodgers have already had their share of off-field headaches that put their brand under the microscope. So when this ball controversy with Cam Devanney popped up, the rookie confirmed he got the milestone ball back. But fans were quick to pile on with fresh ridicule toward the Dodgers.