It is well known the hatred and resentment that Manny Machado has for the Dodgers that, when he sent an emotional message to Clayton Kershaw for his retirement, no one could believe the great gesture of the San Diego Padres third baseman. The Los Angeles Dodgers legend said goodbye to Major League Baseball after playing 18 seasons.
After announcing his upcoming retirement, congratulations have poured in from the nearly 1,000 unique hitters that Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw has faced in his career. Among them was Machado. The 33-year-old made it to the majors five years after Kershaw, and spent the second half of a season with Kershaw and the Dodgers in 2018.
“It’s amazing to have worn the same uniform as him” – Manchado on Kershaw
“He’s one of the best competitors this game has ever seen or witnessed,” Machado told reporters. “It’s amazing to be able to have worn the same uniform as him, to play behind him and to see firsthand how he goes about his business. I think it was great to see and witness and be on the same field as a legend. Those don’t come around too often.”
Machado and Kershaw faced each other 39 different times at the plate. Kershaw struck out Machado eight times and Machado hit a home run against Kershaw twice, both in 2019. Machado hit a respectable .263/.282/.421 against Kershaw. In their most recent battle, the 37-year-old struck him out in the first at-bat and forced a fly ball in the second.
Why does Manny Machado hate the Los Angeles Dodgers?
The most accepted reason for Manny Machado’s hatred of the Los Angeles Dodgers dates back to 2018, when they played in the World Series, but the team did not offer him a new contract, which led him to sign with the San Diego Padres, his current team. However, the feeling has become mutual for some time now.
In October 2024, there was an incident where Machado threw a ball into the Dodgers’ dugout, which led to accusations of attempted assault and a complaint from the team. The incident became instantly controversial, as the ball almost hit the Los Angeles team’s manager, Dave Roberts.
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