San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado didn’t hold back after witnessing his teammate Fernando Tatis Jr. get hit by a pitch for the third time in just over a week—this time igniting a benches-clearing brawl against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Speaking to reporters after the game, Machado had a stern warning for the Dodgers, saying they’d “better pray” that Tatis’ CT scan results come back clear. “They gotta pray it comes back negative tomorrow,” he said following Thursday night’s 5-3 victory for the Padres.

The tension reached a boiling point in the ninth inning when Tatis was hit in the hand by a pitch from Dodgers right-hander Jack Little, causing both teams to empty their dugouts. Padres manager Mike Shildt rushed onto the field, leading to a heated exchange with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. In the end, both managers were ejected once the situation had calmed down.

Fortunately, the initial CT scan results for Tatis came back negative, providing some relief for the Padres. However, Tatis mentioned to reporters that there’s still a “gray area” regarding his hand, which remains a concern due to its intricate structure. “There are a lot of bones in there,” he explained, noting that further imaging will be necessary to rule out any small fractures.

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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated he had no intention of seeing Tatis get hit, but he expressed frustration over Shildt’s aggressive response, which he felt was personal. Shortly after, Padres reliever Robert Suarez hit Shohei Ohtani in the back, causing more players to spill onto the field. Eventually, after Ohtani's own peacekeeping, the situation diffused without any further incidents.

Thursday night’s altercation adds yet another chapter to the fierce rivalry between these two NL West teams. With Machado voicing his concerns and Tatis still being evaluated, the Padres are on high alert as they keep a close eye on their star outfielder’s health during this critical stretch of the season.