Watch: Machado yells at Dodgers for celebrating Bellinger's impressive catch
Consider the 2020 postseason the birthplace of the latest iteration of the Los Angeles Dodgers-San Diego Padres rivalry.
In the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the teams' National League Division Series, Dodgers outfielder and reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger executed a perfectly timed leap at the center-field wall to rob budding Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. of a go-ahead home run.
L.A. reliever Brusdar Graterol - who very nearly served up a momentum-shifting home run - threw his hat and glove in celebration after the inning-ending, highlight-reel catch. He then blew a kiss in the direction of an incensed Manny Machado, prompting Machado to fire some choice words in the Dodgers' direction:
Dodgers and Padres exchange pleasantries after Cody Bellinger's catch. pic.twitter.com/f9i7yA8uSY
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) October 8, 2020
Here was Brusdar Graterol's reaction to Cody Bellinger robbing Tatis Jr. of a home run. . pic.twitter.com/1RpWrGZcQo
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 8, 2020
Between profanities, Machado appeared to tell Graterol that "he'd be waiting for him."
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy quickly came to his pitcher's defense in shouting down Machado. Muncy is himself no stranger to theatrics after famously telling former San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner to get his home-run ball "out of the ocean" during a testy exchange in 2019.
The Padres have also shown a flair for the dramatic and a certain disregard for the unwritten rules of baseball, making Machado's outburst seem a tad incongruous.
Mookie Betts defended the animated celebration after the game, saying it was only fair after Machado tossed his bat after hitting a home run.
"When he hit his home run he threw the bat... Then we take one away, we can celebrate too. So there's gotta be two sides to it."
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 8, 2020
- Mookie Betts on the exchanges with Manny Machado after the Cody Bellinger catch
(@Ken_Rosenthal) pic.twitter.com/gPSre4sneD
Regardless, Bellinger's catch was the icing on the cake in a strong personal outing: He hit a big home run of his own earlier in the game before stealing one from one of the most exciting young players around.
BELLI ROBS TATIS! pic.twitter.com/V9l4YCL0M4
— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2020
That's playoff baseball.
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