Tensions Flare Again as Padres and Cardinals Benches Clear Following Machado Hit By Pitch
St. Louis, MO – July 26, 2025 – A palpable tension between the San Diego Padres and the St. Louis Cardinals escalated into another bench-clearing incident on Saturday night, just one day after a similar event occurred. The latest confrontation was sparked when Padres star Manny Machado was struck by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth inning, leading to a brief but heated exchange that saw both dugouts and bullpens empty onto the field.
The incident unfolded with two outs in the fifth, with the Padres leading 3-1. Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas delivered a pitch that unfortunately caught Machado on the left side of his back. While it did not appear to be a malicious intent from Mikolas, the cumulative effect of recent events between the two clubs clearly played a role in the reaction.
Machado, visibly irked, exchanged words with Mikolas as he made his way to first base. Umpire Brian Knight quickly stepped in to mediate, but the emotions on the field were running high. Padres manager Mike Shildt emerged from the dugout to ensure Machado was alright and to voice his concerns. As Shildt approached the mound, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol also made his way out, leading to a confrontation between the two skids.
Within moments, players from both sides began to spill onto the field, though fortunately, the situation did not devolve into physical altercations. Order was restored relatively quickly with the umpires and coaches working to calm the players. Both Machado and Mikolas remained in the game.
This latest incident follows a similarly charged atmosphere from Friday night’s game, where a beanball to Padres catcher Gary Sanchez by Cardinals pitcher Zack Thompson also led to a bench-clearing situation. The Padres ultimately won that game 5-3, and the intensity carried over into Saturday’s contest.
The Padres, who are in a critical stretch of their season, will undoubtedly be concerned about the physical well-being of their key players, especially Machado, who has been instrumental to their success. The Cardinals, meanwhile, will need to find a way to manage their emotions and maintain composure in what has become a tightly contested and emotionally charged series.
As the series continues, all eyes will be on the interactions between these two teams, with the hope that future games can be played with the same competitive spirit but without the heightened tensions that have defined the early part of this matchup. Baseball fans will be watching closely to see if either team can establish a more disciplined approach as the series progresses.
Padres, Cards benches clear for 2nd straight game after Machado hit by pitch
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