"We don’t hit Shohei Ohtani; don’t hit Fernando Tatis Jr." - Manny Machado responds to Jack Flaherty’s HBP in Padres vs. Dodgers NLDS Game 2

LA Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani was the star in NLDS Game 1 against the San Diego Padres, but it was all Fernando Tatis Jr. in Game 2 on Sunday. The contest also had many controversial moments, including Tatis' hit off Dodgers ace Jack Flaherty in the sixth inning.

Padres shortstop Manny Machado had a verbal altercation with Flaherty after the incident as Machado threw a ball at the Dodgers' dugout. In the postgame interview, Machado criticized Flaherty for HBP on Tatis in the sixth inning of the game.

"I mean, when you try to hit our best hitter, right?" said Machado. "Get him out; you can't get him out. Don't hit him, right? I mean, we don't go out there and we're not—you know, they've [Dodgers] got the best player in the game, right? [Shohei] Ohtani.

"We don't go out there and try to hit Ohtani; we try to get him out, right? Um, don't go out there and try to hit my guy [Fernando Tatis]." [2:03]

However, Machado praised Flaherty for his performance, particularly against him.

"He [Flaherty] made some good pitches, right?" Machado said. "He made quality pitches, got me going, and, um, you know, he won that competition, right? Um, you know, he made his pitches. I couldn't deliver with that situation there—one runners on first and second, no outs, right? Um, you know, so he won that one for sure."

Despite Machado's praise, Flaherty didn't have that good of an outing. He gave up five hits and four runs in 5.1 innings and could only get two strikeouts.

Jack Flaherty responds to Manny Machado's criticism of the HBP on Fernando Tatis Jr.

Jack Flaherty responded to criticism Manny Machado directed towards him for the HBP on Fernando Tatis in the postgame interview. Flaherty admitted striking out Machado fired him up but denied any intentional HBP on Tatis.

"I've got no reason to hit a guy there to start off the sixth, like as good as he is in swinging the bat," Flaherty said. "We're down in the game, and I tried to go in for effect, and he didn't get out of the way, [so] it hit him." [1:51]

Flaherty also criticized Machado for throwing the ball at his dugout but praised the Padres star as a player.

"He [Manny Machado] did some sh*t between innings where he decides to throw the ball at our dugout, and everybody kind of catches the tail end of it, which is me and him going at it," Flaherty said. "But, like, I was sitting there for my team; I wasn't sitting there to go at him.

"Manny [Machado] is a great player. You know, I understand everybody getting—it's the postseason." [2:33]

Machado's anger is understandable, as Fernando Tatis has performed well in all the postseason games in 2024. He has already hit three homers and driven in five RBIs in four appearances.