While running out a groundout, Manny Machado clipped Jesús Aguilar’s ankle as he crossed the first base bag. Aguilar and Machado wound up exchanging words as Manny sauntered back to the dugout, causing both benches to briefly clear before the dust calmly settled.Lo
Manny Machado kicked Jesús Aguilar. Many #takes will follow. pic.twitter.com/uMopidt8IJ
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 17, 2018
hdsportsclips: Benches empty for no reason Fox Sports 1 Walk-Off Stories: Improbably Gibson https://t.co/umsP8ARfs2 pic.twitter.com/FCDyhjWawA
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) October 17, 2018
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Manny Machado has stepped into trouble again.
Both benches cleared after the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star shortstop clipped the back leg of Milwaukee first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out his groundout Tuesday night in the 10th inning of Game 4 of the NL Championship Series.
Aguilar left his foot on the base for a moment after Machado was already out, and the star shortstop appeared to show his displeasure by bringing his left foot forward and kicking Aguilar on the back of the leg.
Aguilar wasn’t hurt, but he was angry. Dodgers first base coach George Lombard joined the discussion before players spilled onto the field from both benches and bullpens.
Nothing happened beyond that spirited argument, and the bad feelings were gone when Machado singled in the 13th inning. He briefly hugged Aguilar while they stood together at first base.
Machado then showed he’s got plenty of hustle in the right circumstances: He sprinted from second to home on Cody Bellinger’s two-out single, sticking out his left hand to touch home plate as he slid past Erik Kratz’s tag for the winning run in a dramatic finish.
But the 10th-inning incident added to the list of Machado’s questionable decisions in baseball ethics.
Machado also caused controversy Monday in Game 3 of the NLCS with two hard slides into second base while shortstop Orlando Arcia attempted to turn double plays.
Machado wasn’t penalized in the second inning when he slid into second with his arm up while Arcia attempted to jump over him. Arcia said he didn’t have a problem with that slide.
But Machado got in trouble in the fourth inning with a very similar slide into Arcia, who made a wild throw after Machado clipped the shortstop’s knee with his hand. The Brewers challenged the slide, and they were awarded a double play on video review.
Just a few weeks before the 26-year-old Machado likely hits the open market as one of the most desirable free agents in baseball, the big-hitting shortstop has become the latest star to tread the line between fierce competitors and dirty players.
The four-time All-Star already had drawn the ire of ex-players and old-school baseball men from Jim Palmer to Eric Byrnes with his occasional lack of hustle, but he has shown plenty of hustle in each of his incidents in the NLCS. He didn’t run out a grounder in Game 2 of the NLCS particularly hard, adding to the negative attention in this series.
Machado already attracted disdain early in the 2017 season with a hard slide in Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia, Machado got his spikes into Pedroia’s left ankle and knee as he slid over the base, and his Orioles had a testy relationship with the Red Sox for the rest of the season.
The Dodgers acquired Machado from Baltimore this season for their playoff push, and to replace injured shortstop Corey Seager. Machado had 37 homers and 107 RBIs in the regular season, and he batted .242 in the first eight games of the postseason.
After he got two hits in Game 3, Machado’s frustration at the plate also probably played a role in his mood in Game 4. His groundout dropped him to 0 for 5 as the Dodgers’ cleanup hitter.
