Just before things heated up between the Dodgers and Padres, something way more fun—and unexpected—went down at Dodger Stadium. To mark Black Heritage Night and celebrate Juneteenth, Mookie Betts hosted his very first celebrity softball game. But what really drew attention was the team up between Betts and former NBA champ Matt Barnes. Both were coaches, but no one quite expected what came next.
Now, it wasn’t just coaching duties on their plate. Betts and Barnes took things a step further by hopping on commentary duties, rocking custom Juneteenth jerseys in cream and black. These weren’t just regular jerseys either—they carried the official patch for Betts’ celebrity game right on the sleeve.
“I’m super excited to host the first celebrity softball game on Black Heritage Night,” Betts shared before the event. “It’s going to be a good time with great vibes, and something I hope to do for years to come. Thank you to everyone who is playing in the game and helped put on this event.”
Meanwhile, the lineup? Absolutely stacked. From music legends like Nelly, Lil’ Wayne, Big Boi, and Lizzo to sports icons like Terrell Owens, James Loney, and Jordan Love—this wasn’t your average celebrity game. Even stars like Victoria Monét, Mo’ne Davis, and Anthony Anderson jumped in. The crowd was buzzing, and the vibes were exactly what Betts promised: big fun, big names, and even bigger energy.
But here’s where things got interesting. Despite Betts holding three World Series rings, it was Barnes who stole the spotlight. According to a post shared after the game, “@matt_barnes9 wins the game during home run derby & MVP for @mookiebetts celebrity softball game prior to the dodger hame begins! TADE.”
That one swing shifted the tone from playful to competitive—and Barnes walked away with bragging rights. But it was a celebrity game after all, so Matt Barnes must have been in a more chilled out mood compared to when he’s advising modern NBA players. Soon after, came the actual Dodgers vs. Padres game, and it’s not what everyone expected.
Matt Barnes caught in wild Dodgers-Padres rivalry
To wrap up what had already been a chippy four-game series, the Dodgers and Padres took things to another level on Thursday night. The drama hit a boiling point in the ninth inning after Fernando Tatis Jr. got plunked by a pitch. Emotions flared fast, and suddenly Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was caught screaming, “We’ll talk later!” at Padres skipper Mike Shildt while being shoved into the netting behind home plate, as captured by the Dodgers broadcast.
Naturally, both managers didn’t stick around for much longer. Shildt and Roberts were ejected from the game, while Tatis had to exit too, replaced by pinch runner Trenton Brooks. Though early X-rays on his wrist were clean, Tatis didn’t sound too confident afterward. “Not good,” he admitted, adding that results were “kind of inconclusive.” According to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin, he’s now set to undergo a CT scan and MRI to find out more.
But then it got even messier. With a five-run cushion in the ninth, Padres closer Robert Suarez made things personal and threw at Shohei Ohtani. Suarez got the boot immediately. Ohtani, for his part, tried to cool heads down, even waving off teammates from rushing in and making it worse.
Still, the Padres came out with a 5-3 win. The victory helped them avoid a full sweep after losing the first three games—and two of three just last week. And Matt Barnes couldn’t have picked a more explosive day to be in L.A.
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