**Title**: Machado's Dugout Ball Toss Sparks MLB Investigation Amidst Dodgers-Padres Rivalry
**Sapo**: Manny Machado's controversial ball throw into the Dodgers' dugout during Game 2 of the NLDS has prompted an MLB investigation, adding to the escalating tension between the two teams.
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**Article**:
Game 3 of the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will be played under a cloud of heightened tension following a series of incidents in Game 2. Among the most controversial was Padres star third baseman Manny Machado's throwing of a ball into the Dodgers' dugout, an act that has now drawn the attention of the MLB league office.
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes that Machado's ball toss was not merely a matter of putting the ball out of play but rather an intentional act of aggression. Upon reviewing video footage of the incident, Roberts stated that Machado "purposefully whipped the ball at the dugout" and almost hit him.
"It was unsettling," Roberts said. "There was intent behind it... If it was intended at me, I would be very – it's pretty disrespectful."
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Machado, now at third base, continued to have a war of words with Flaherty, and appeared to say he’d meet him after the game.
Flaherty explained why they were barking at each other.
The ball toss incident is just one aspect of the escalating drama between the Dodgers and Padres. The rivalry, which has a long history, has been fueled by several incidents during the current NLDS. In Game 2, objects were thrown at Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar from the Dodger Stadium stands. The Padres bullpen also reported being subjected to similar treatment.
The bad blood between the two teams was further exacerbated by an altercation between Machado and Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty. After Flaherty struck out Machado in the sixth inning, words were exchanged, with Flaherty telling Machado to "sit the f--- down, motherf-----."
Machado's ball toss has brought the intensity of the rivalry to a new level. It is normal for players to toss balls out of play when they're not in use, but Machado clearly put some velocity on the throw. He claims there was nothing behind his reason for doing so, stating that he throws balls into dugouts all the time.
Roberts, however, believes that the throw was intentional, given the heated atmosphere of the game. He shook his head at Machado while the third baseman and Flaherty were going back and forth, hoping to dissuade Machado from retaliating for Fernando Tatis Jr. being hit by a pitch in the previous inning.
The animosity between these two teams and fan bases heading into a crucial Game 3 on Tuesday night at Petco Park in San Diego is palpable. The MLB investigation into Machado's ball toss adds another layer of intrigue to what is shaping up to be an unforgettable series.
