Padres, Cardinals Players Ejected After Machado, Umpire Altercation

San Diego, Calif.

July 22, 2023

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado and St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado were ejected from Friday night's game after a heated exchange with an umpire.

The incident occurred in the top of the sixth inning with the Padres leading 4-0. Machado was called out on strikes by home plate umpire CB Bucknor, prompting the slugger to argue the call.

As tempers flared, Machado and Bucknor bumped chests, and the benches cleared. Arenado and Padres' manager Bob Melvin were among those ejected.

The game resumed after a 15-minute delay with the Padres' Wil Myers grounding out to end the inning.

Machado and Arenado have a history of altercations, having exchanged words during the 2022 National League Division Series.

The ejections come at a crucial time for both teams. The Padres are in a tight race for the National League West division title, while the Cardinals are fighting for a wild-card berth.

In a postgame interview, Melvin expressed disappointment in Machado's actions but acknowledged the intensity of the rivalry between the two teams.

"Manny is a passionate player, but there's no excuse for what happened tonight," Melvin said. "We need to keep our emotions in check, especially in a game of this importance."