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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Workers Author
LOS ANGELES — San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar got here up with the game-winning hit that led to a sequence victory Sunday at Dodger Stadium. That his three-run double within the seventh inning got here someday after Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith known as him “irrelevant” didn’t go unnoticed by considered one of Profar’s most distinguished teammates.
“Irrelevant? I do not know. You may must verify the dictionary on that,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado stated after San Diego’s 6-3 win. “He is been main this group big-time. The numbers converse for themselves. Each time he comes out right here, steps on that subject, he makes a huge impact on the sport. On the finish of the day, boy bought 10 years within the league. There’s solely a handful of baseball gamers, in all of baseball, who accomplish that objective, so, bought to place a bit of little bit of respect on his title.”
Profar took exception to being brushed again by an up-and-in cutter from Dodgers starter Gavin Stone within the fifth inning Saturday, triggering a benches-clearing incident. It was a shocking response to the Dodgers, who famous they led by solely a run and that Stone was throwing an ideal recreation.
Smith, talking to AM 570 after Saturday’s contest, stated of Profar, “I do not know why we’d’ve thrown at him. He is type of irrelevant.”
A day later, with the rating tied at 3 within the seventh inning, Profar responded in the easiest way attainable, developing with the bases loaded and one out and lining a J.P. Feyereisen providing off the highest of the center-field wall.
Profar, a beloved clubhouse presence who was introduced again on a $1 million contract throughout spring coaching, has a .960 OPS up to now.
“I can let you know this: Profar may be very related to us,” Padres supervisor Mike Shildt stated. “He is a glue man for us. Man’s bought 10 years within the massive leagues. There’s relevancy there. Did a pleasant job tonight with the three-run double. However past that, Professional’s a professional. He is a really massive a part of the San Diego Padres. He is very related to me. I imagine fully he is very related to his teammates. So, we respect and admire him extremely.”
Whereas miked for ESPN’s “Sunday Evening Baseball,” Profar admitted Stone wasn’t attempting to throw at him and principally laughed off the incident. After the sport, Profar declined to bark again at Smith’s comment.
“I am not going to touch upon that,” Profar stated with a chuckle when requested if he feels “related.” “I am simply going to play, like I did.”
Requested if he had heard about Smith’s barb, Profar stated: “Yeah, I heard it. However I am not a media man. I present up on the market.”
Whereas Profar tried to diffuse it, the slight was one more incident — as small because it might need been — in a budding rivalry that has had fairly a number of tense moments over the previous handful of years.
Machado, a onetime Dodger booed vociferously each time he returns to play in L.A., stated he did not pay a lot consideration to it. However he made it clear he took exception.
He additionally got here up with a brand new nickname for Profar: Mr. Related.
“You’ve got bought a man who’s bought 10 years within the league; I believe he is a bit of bit extra related than being irrelevant, as [Smith] stated,” Machado stated. “You bought to out some respect on some folks’s names. And I believe that is what this recreation is dropping: They’re dropping respect for a few of these guys who’ve been right here for a really, very very long time.”
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