Dodger Stadium fell silent not because of the piercing thud of a 97 mph fastball meeting flesh but due to the identity of the player struck. Shohei Ohtani, a baseball icon and the prized offseason acquisition for the Dodgers, took a direct hit on his hip that sent a wave of unease through the field. The atmosphere turned icy. It wasn’t the first time a star got plunked in this brewing feud, and by the look on Ohtani’s face as he trotted to first, it wouldn’t be the last.
The incident reignited what has quickly become one of MLB’s most emotionally charged rivalries: Dodgers vs. Padres. And watching from the broadcast booth, former big leaguer Xavier Scruggs saw it for what it was. Not just an accident, not just a pitch that got away, but a sign that things were escalating. On MLB Network Radio, Scruggs didn’t mince words: this was no longer just baseball, it was a statement war.
“Nobody wants to see it kind of escalate,” Scruggs explained, “but we’re seeing that tension. And when the big dogs start getting hit, Steve, that’s the thing, when you start seeing the Fernando Tatises, when you start seeing the Shohei Ohtani’s getting hit, that’s when everybody takes exception.” Indeed, it has become a serious issue, drawing strong reactions like it did with Dave Roberts’ ejection. People have started taking it personally, and the game’s atmosphere has changed dramatically.
Things got feisty last night at Dodger Stadium.#LetsGoDodgers | #ForTheFaithful
https://t.co/fGPbvbj8w4 pic.twitter.com/BnZm9jtddi
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 18, 2025
This isn’t about beanballs and bruises anymore. It’s about pride. Earlier in the series, Dodgers rookie Andy Pages was plunked by Dylan Cease and clearly took offense, with sign-stealing accusations adding more gasoline to the fire. The Padres, led by a smirking Manny Machado, played it off like it was business as usual. But when star players start wearing pitches, it shifts the entire narrative.
Scruggs hit the nail on the head: this is no longer about standings or statistics. This is emotional baseball, the kind that lingers beyond the next at-bat. And with another game left in this series and multiple matchups still to come, including the possibility of a postseason collision, things could get even hotter.
“You can just feel it building. It’s just getting started with these two teams,” Scruggs added. The tension isn’t just about one incident or a single game. It’s a sense that every play, every pitch, and every reaction is adding fuel to a fire that’s only beginning to burn. With playoff stakes looming and emotions rising, this isn’t just Dodgers vs. Padres anymore; it’s a heavyweight fight with no referee. And if the past few days are any indication, neither side is backing down.
Shohei Ohtani: the unicorn MLB has been waiting for
When it comes to two-way talent, Shohei Ohtani doesn’t just break the mold; he is the mold. And for former Yankees hitting coach and Reds Hall of Famer Sean Casey, there’s no debate. Ohtani isn’t just a generational player; he’s a unicorn in cleats. As Casey gushed over, “He’s the unicorn the MLB community had been waiting for,” on his podcast ‘The Mayor’s Office.‘ In a league that often labels players by position, Ohtani continues to blow past every convention.
Casey’s admiration comes with reason. He’s spent decades studying swings, watching injuries derail promising careers, and seeing elite talent fade before its time. But with Ohtani, he sees something else entirely. After nearly two years away from the mound, recovering from UCL surgery with a modern internal brace technique, Casey believes the two-way phenom might not just return, he might dominate even more. “I think he’s going to be better than ever,” he added, confident that the procedure will elevate Ohtani’s pitching rather than hinder it.
Casey highlights that Ohtani signifies more than mechanics or speed; he represents a presence in the sport itself. His comeback to pitching signals the beginning of a phase in a narrative that MLB craves. An athlete is shaping the boundaries of what can be achieved in modern-day baseball.
And as Casey sees it, “It’s just great. It’s great for baseball.”
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