Jurickson Profar had an eventful day at work Sunday.
The San Diego Padres’ left fielder robbed a home run early in Game 2 of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium. Later in the Padres’ 10-2 rout, he was the target of fans hurling objects — including baseballs — on the field.
After the game, clearly relishing the victory, Profar said he wasn’t hit with any objects thrown on the field. But the incident in the seventh inning rattled some nerves.
“When you’re standing on the field like that then you start throwing at the back of your head, it’s a little scary,” Profar said.
Umpires escorted Profar and the Padres’ other outfielders, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr., toward he infield as Dodger Stadium security attempted to calm the melee. The game was delayed for 10 minutes.
Profar told MLB Network it wasn’t the first time he had been the target of fans throwing objects on the field.
Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
“Game 1, I think (the fans) wanted to do it but they were winning so they stopped,” Profar said. “I think in Game 1 if we were winning they would’ve done the same.”
During Game 1 of the series, which the Dodgers won 7-5, two fans were accosted and escorted off the field by stadium security after entering from the stands in left field. Two other fans sitting in the front row of seats in the left-field corner were removed from their seats minutes later.
Profar had a front-row seat to all of the shenanigans, and offered a pointed comparison between Dodger fans and Padre fans.
“We’re not throwing stuff on the field,” he told MLB Network. “San Diego fans, we don’t do that. We just cheer.”
Padres manager Mike Shildt told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that he wanted the players escorted away from the outfield bleacher simply to make sure they were safe.
Speaking to reporters in a postgame press conference, Shildt called the incident “unacceptable.”
Mike Shildt calls fans throwing objects on the field “unacceptable”. Says he expects the fans at Petco Park will “stay classy, San Diego”
— Ben Higgins (@BenHigginsSD) October 7, 2024
Mookie Betts thought he had hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning when Profar jumped into the stands to catch the ball above the outstretched arms of a group of fans.
“I always wanted to do that,” Profar told MLB Network. “That was on my mind: I wanted to rob a homer, and I did it in the playoffs. That was awesome.”
Profar said he didn’t say anything to the fans after. He merely stood in place, hopping, feigning as if the ball was in the stands before throwing it back to the infield.
Perhaps that provoked the fans’ ire, but throwing objects on the field crossed a line. The series will only shift back to Dodger Stadium if the best-of-five series goes the distance.
For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
