Angry Dodgers manager tossed after Shohei Ohtani drilled in retaliation
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected after Shohei Ohtani was hit by a pitch in apparent retaliation for LA plunking Fernando Tatis Jr. earlier in the game
Tensions boiled over Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium as Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was ejected in fiery fashion following a retaliatory hit-by-pitch on Shohei Ohtani — just moments after the Dodgers had plunked San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr.
The incident began in the top of the third inning, when Dodgers reliever Lou Trivino fired a 95.4 mph sinker that struck Tatis Jr., drawing immediate side-eye from the Padres' dugout. Just one half-inning later, the retaliation came swiftly — and directly at the Dodgers’ biggest star. Padres starter Randy Vásquez hit Ohtani with a 93.8 mph fastball to the leg, sparking an eruption from Roberts, who bolted out of the dugout in protest.
Umpires issued warnings to both benches, but Roberts, who recently signed a four-year extension after some uncertainty, wasn’t satisfied. Furious at what he believed was a deliberate act of retaliation that endangered one of the game's most valuable players, Roberts tore into the umpiring crew and was promptly ejected — his first tossing of the season. The fiery series also marked the first time Ohtani returned to the mound, pitching a single inning while hitting 100mph.
“I give him credit because they hit him in the leg. Own it, and we move on,” he said. “It’s not a misfire. I do feel it was intentional. Again, that’s part of baseball, which we all understand.”
Roberts also expressed frustration at being physically held back from confronting the crew as they explained the dual warnings. “I didn’t feel a warning on both sides was warranted,” Roberts said.
“I wanted an explanation on their thought process. I didn’t come in hot. I just wanted to know why. At that point in time, I realized later I got tossed, which I didn’t understand or appreciate.”
Despite the chaos, the Dodgers maintained their composure and clawed their way to an 8–6 win over their division rivals. Will Smith delivered the game’s decisive blow — a go-ahead home run after a marathon 12-pitch at-bat in the sixth inning — and rookie Andy Pages added two more homers to help seal the win.
But the real storyline was the animosity brewing between two of the National League’s fiercest competitors.
It marked the latest flashpoint in a rivalry that’s been simmering all series. In Monday’s opener, Pages was hit by a pitch. With Tuesday’s dust-up, that made three HBPs in less than 48 hours — and emotions on both sides finally boiled over.
Padres manager Mike Shildt was allowed to speak with umpires after the ejection, adding fuel to Roberts’ frustrations about perceived inconsistency.
“To see Mike get the opportunity to talk to umpires after I was tossed and (got) their explanation, and he was still in the game. I think what anyone wants is consistency, right?” Roberts said. “I wanted an explanation of what’s going on for their decision making and I got run. Just there was no consistency.”
Crew chief Marvin Hudson explained that Roberts was ejected specifically for arguing after the warnings were issued, which umpires are instructed not to tolerate.
“He can’t argue the warnings, so we had to get rid of him,” Hudson told a pool reporter after the game. “He had to be ejected.”
With the season series still heating up, all eyes will now turn to Wednesday’s matchup. If Tuesday’s fireworks were any indication, this rivalry is far from cooling down.