Manny Machado may have inadvertently lit a fire under Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech with his words from the dugout in Game 3.
San Diego Padres star Manny Machado has undoubtedly been the main character of the NLDS clash between his team and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s surely made headlines. The discourse surrounding the third baseman has been plentiful between his controversial ball toss and questionable albeit smart base running.
However, while Machado and the Padres have gotten under the skin of the Dodgers, they’ve simultaneously motivated them. Perhaps no one in the Los Angeles clubhouse has felt more inspired than pitcher Michael Kopech, who the infielder smack-talked in Game 3:
While Machado chirps Kopech from the dugout, the right-hander continues providing the Dodgers shutout relief work whenever he faces the Padres. The latter has impressively thrown 5.1 scoreless innings against San Diego since getting traded to Los Angeles in late July (before Game 4), including critical postseason outings.
Manny Machado inadvertently ignited gifted Dodgers reliever Michael Kopech in Game 3
Machado thought criticizing Kopech would charge up his teammate, Jackson Merrill, at the plate. Instead, the choice of words may have unintentionally awakened a sleeping giant and much-needed arm for the Dodgers.
Kopech has been critical to the Dodgers bullpen upon joining the squad. He went 4-0 with a dazzling 1.13 ERA, 0.792 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in his 24 regular-season contest. Somehow, the 28-year-old has elevated his play in October, only allowing a single hit and zero runs in his three appearances versus the Padres.
With tensions flaring on both sides, we can’t fault Machado for acclimating himself to the heat of the moment. Nonetheless, his actions are haunting the Padres in the form of Kopech.
