SAN DIEGO — A night after the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar delivered a walk-off hit and attracted the ire of the Washington Nationals as he celebrated near the visiting dugout, tempers flared Tuesday between the teams in a benches-clearing incident that preceded more dramatics — including another big hit by Profar.
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Profar’s sixth-inning grand slam propelled the Padres to a 9-7 victory at Petco Park and continued a storybook season for the 31-year-old, but what happened near the start of the game equally galvanized a club that has stayed afloat despite several key injuries.
“What we’ve been dealing with for the last couple weeks leading up to this point, I think this team is more united than ever,” San Diego third baseman Manny Machado said.
Benches cleared between the Nationals and Padres in the first inning after words were exchanged between Manny Machado, Jurickson Profar and Keibert Ruiz
Profar was then hit by the next pitch and Mike Shildt was ejected pic.twitter.com/rfWzV2UKXQ
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 26, 2024
In the bottom of the first, Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz confronted Profar and put a hand on his shoulder just before the Padres left fielder’s plate appearance. Machado, who was on deck, got in between the two players and put a hand on Ruiz’s shoulder, whereupon both benches and bullpens cleared. Some jostling and more jawing ensued, although no punches were thrown.
“I took exception (to being touched on the shoulder),” Profar said. “You can talk, but you can’t touch. But at the same time, I’m in a situation that I got to be smart, and I don’t want to get suspended or thrown out of the game. It wouldn’t be good for my team. We lost Fernando (Tatis Jr.), so I can’t get thrown out.”
With order briefly restored, home-plate umpire Brian Walsh issued warnings to both clubs. MacKenzie Gore then hit Profar in the back foot with a first-pitch fastball but was not ejected. Padres manager Mike Shildt stormed onto the field and was promptly ejected by third-base umpire Adam Hamari.
“I do think there was zero intent (to hit Profar),” Shildt said. “(Whether) it was, it wasn’t, right after it happened, he hit the same guy it happened to with 98. We got to make a better decision than that.”
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The early-game action continued to escalate. Moments after Shildt retreated to the clubhouse, Gore’s first pitch to Machado arrived over the plate, and the infielder launched it for a two-run homer to left. Profar gestured to the crowd as he took his time circling the bases in front of Machado.
“I think getting the crowd on our side was the biggest accomplishment there,” Machado said. “So I was glad to hit one out of the park for our fans.”
The scene recalled the bottom of the 10th in Monday’s series opener. With San Diego trailing by a run and down to its final out, Washington intentionally walked Luis Arraez to load the bases and bring Profar to the plate.
Profar, who later said he felt “disrespected” by the move, was further irritated when he went to the ground to avoid a high-and-tight fastball from reliever Hunter Harvey. Profar subsequently drove a two-run single to right-center and gestured demonstratively as his teammates mobbed him not far from the Nationals’ dugout.
Profar said afterward, and reiterated Tuesday, that he had been directing his celebration toward the crowd. Still, his actions drew long looks from some Nationals players as they lingered in the dugout.
“(Ruiz) didn’t like the celebration yesterday,” Profar said after Tuesday’s game. “They told me he was one of them talking on the top step. And then (Ildemaro) Vargas, I think, and then (Jesse) Winker. But I had no idea (at the time).”
Less than 24 hours later, the dramatics resumed. Two innings after the benches cleared and Machado homered, the Nationals took the lead with a four-run frame that was punctuated by a Winker home run. The Padres retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run single by Donovan Solano.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Padres loaded the bases with no outs, forcing the Nationals bullpen to pitch to Arraez. Arraez grounded into a force out at home, bringing Profar to the plate. Swinging on a 2-0 count, Profar pulled a drive just inside the right-field foul pole as Petco Park again erupted in celebration.
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“Baseball gods, man,” said Machado, who voiced his belief that a potential feud between the teams was “squashed” in the first inning. “I mean, look at the baseball gods, how it turns out. You know, keep doing it. Every time they poke that bear, that bear comes in swinging. So keep poking him all you want because he carries us big-time when they do.”
Jurickson Profar sends San Diego into a frenzy with a grand slam! 😎 pic.twitter.com/SfSNykyTZW
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2024
Profar, who re-signed with the Padres in February for a guaranteed mere $1 million, is leading the National League in on-base percentage and second in batting average. His grand slam was his 11th home run of the season and supplied a necessary cushion before the Padres held on for a second consecutive victory over the Nationals.
“This guy loves to win,” Machado said of Profar. “He wants to win. He hates to lose. That’s another thing: He hates to lose. So he brings that edge to this team.”
“The numbers are huge,” Shildt said. “We’re at where we’re at because of that, but we’re also in a good place overall with a lot of obstacles like most teams have … because of the way he (provides) residual value and how he brings people along with him from a competitive spirit, from his preparation.”
Profar, for his part, said he did not care about any extracurriculars from the last two games.
“I like to play baseball,” he said. “That’s me. I don’t care about that stuff. Yesterday after that celebration, they told me that there were players upset. I didn’t even know about that. But it is what it is. Who cares.
“We’ve been playing really good baseball, man, and every win matters. Every win matters. … We’re gonna come tomorrow and try to win again.”
(Photo of an umpire restraining Manny Machado and Jurickson Profar after words were exchanged with Keibert Ruiz: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)