Manny Machado says he didn’t mean to spike Steve Pearce at the end of Game 4
"Our legs are giving out on us, and you're just trying to get to first base as fast as possible."
Manny Machado hasn’t done much to endear himself to opposing fans. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop says his cleating of Red Sox first baseman Steve Pearce during the ninth inning of Game 4 of the World Series wasn’t on purpose.
On a ground out to third base in the bottom of the ninth, Machado stepped on Pearce’s heel while running through first base. Pearce didn’t appear to react to the contact.
Hmm did Machado intentionally spike Steve Pearce here? pic.twitter.com/nkg5rXD5N3
— uSTADIUM MLB (@uSTADIUMMLB) October 28, 2018
Given his contentious history as a baserunner — both against the Red Sox and during this year’s postseason — former players and pundits on social media were quick to suspect malicious intent by the 26-year-old All-Star, who was labeled a “dirty player” by Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich after a similar incident (as well as a few hard slides) during the National League Championship Series. He was also responsible for a controversial slide last year that injured Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
In both of the previous cases, Machado said he wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. And after the game Saturday night, he said the same when asked about his apparent spiking of Pearce.
“It’s late in the year,” Machado told USA Today. “Our legs are giving out on us, and you’re just trying to get to first base as fast as possible. Sometimes, it just happens.”
The former Orioles shortstop also said that he and Pearce, who were teammates for several years in Baltimore, are “kind of, almost best friends.”
“He was at my wedding; his daughter was my flower girl,” Machado said.
Pearce, who proved to be the hero of Game 4, vouched for his former teammate before the World Series, calling Machado’s “dirty” reputation “unfair.”
“That’s not the type of guy he is,” he said of his former teammate.
“I really don’t know what’s going on inside his head, but he’s still one of my favorite guys,” Pearce said.
