Manny Machado's Fury: Padres-Cardinals Rivalry Intensifies!
Tensions reached a boiling point last night as the San Diego Padres faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals, marking the second consecutive game where benches cleared between the two teams. The catalyst? Manny Machado being hit by a pitch in the 9th inning, delivered by Cardinals rookie Andre Granillo. This was the second time Machado was plunked during the game, escalating frustrations considerably.
The situation intensified when Cardinals bench coach Jon Jay directed comments toward Machado on the field, resulting in Jay's prompt ejection from the game. Machado, who previously enjoyed a public friendship with Jay due to their shared Miami connections, didn't hold back when questioned about the state of their relationship.
"No. Absolutely not," Machado stated, according to reports from Dennis Lin and Katie Woo of The Athletic, signaling a definitive end to the friendship.
Machado further suggested that Jay's comments fueled the escalation after the plunking incident involving the Cardinals rookie. He expressed sympathy for Granillo, acknowledging the difficult situation the young player was in. "I mean, poor kid. I know he probably doesn’t want to do that in that situation," Machado remarked, as reported by Lin and Woo. "Obviously, you see him, what he does. He just kind of feels bad. You’re just pissed off, you know? It is what it is. I mean, there was nothing to it. But then you got somebody else coming up and yapping their mouth. That’s when s— starts getting real."
The Padres and Cardinals are set to meet four more times in the next seven days, including a three-game series in San Diego scheduled to begin late next week. Expect fireworks as this rivalry continues to unfold!