The Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers are set to square off in a World Series that, at face value, doesn’t feature much bad blood.
There is this one guy to keep an eye on, however.
Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado, who L.A. acquired from the Baltimore Orioles via trade in July, has a long history with the Red Sox. Most notably, Machado was at the center of a prolonged beanball episode during the early days of the 2017 season.
Machado irked the Red Sox after injuring Dustin Pedroia on a slide into second base. A couple days later, Boston reliever Matt Barnes was suspended four games after throwing at Machado’s head, seemingly in response to the dirty slide.
The next time the two teams met, Orioles starter Dylan Bundy plunked Mookie Betts. Boston retaliated by again appearing to throw at Machado, who sounded off Major League Baseball after the game in a NSFW rant.
“I mean, if you’re going to f—ing hit me, hit me,” Machado said. “Go ahead. f—ing hit me. Don’t let this s–t keep lingering, f—ing around, and keep trying to hit people. It’s f—ing b—s–t. It’s f—ing b—s–t. MLB should do something about it. You have pitchers out there with f—ing balls in their hands throwing 100 miles per hour trying to hit people.
I’ve got a f—ing bat, too. I could go up there and crush somebody if I wanted to. But you know what, I’ll get suspended for a year, and the pitchers only get suspended for two games. That’s not cool.”
Machado then directed his ire specifically at the Red Sox.
“Coward stuff,” he said. “I mean, that’s stuff that you don’t f—ing do. But I mean, I’m not on that side. I’m not in that organization. They’re still thinking about that same slide that I did. There was no intention on hurting anybody and I’m still paying, I’m still trying to get hit at. Get thrown at on my f—ing head.
They’re f—ing throwing everywhere. F—ing b—s–t. I’ve lost my respect for that organization, that coaching staff and everyone over there.”
Yikes.
Machado’s antics and attitude have taken center stage during the 2018 postseason. He had an egregiously dirty play during Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, and could be seen grabbing his crotch at Milwaukee Brewers fans during Game 7.
Will Machado continue this nonsense in the Fall Classic? Will he talk more trash and continue acting like a putz? We’ll find out soon enough.
Game 1 of the World series is scheduled for Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
