Tempers flared on Thursday when star San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. was plunked by Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Jack Little. With the Padres up 5-0 in the top half of the 9th inning, Little attempted to throw an inside pitch that would tag Tatis on his right wrist. It was the seventh time a batter had been hit by a pitch in the series. Given Tatis’ status as one of the Padres’ most prolific and important players, manager Mike Shildt was none too pleased, and almost immediately took to the field to air his grievances to home plate umpire Mark Hudson. Naturally, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts came out, causing tempers to flare and both benches to clear. In retaliation, Padres closer Robert Suarez plunked Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani in the bottom half of the inning.
When things like this happen, we here at Operation Sports often think to ourselves: Why isn’t this a thing in MLB The Show? Even if batters are continuously plunked, nothing really happens — a pitcher gets ejected, and that’s the end of it. But this is where immersion is so important. If you’re playing Franchise mode and you’ve had some scrappy affairs with a team, nothing in the game’s presentation makes these games feel any more tense or special. And nothing you do in-game seems to have any kind of long-term consequences or influence.
