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Dodgers' Will Smith Dismisses 'Irrelevant' Padres Player After Benches Clear During Saturday's Game

Apr 5, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA;  Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) hits a single
Apr 5, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) hits a single | Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Benches cleared during Saturday's game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, a 5–2 win for Los Angeles, after Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar took exception to a pitch from Dodgers starter Gavin Stone, that ran inside and nearly hit him on the elbow. Profar and Dodgers catcher Will Smith then had words before the dugouts emptied.

After the game, Smith appeared on AM 570 LA Sports' Dodger Talk with David Vassegh, who asked him what was said between he and the Padres outfielder. The Dodgers catcher proceeded to dismiss any notion that the pitch inside to Profar was intentional, calling the Padres utilityman "irrelevant."

"Yeah I don't know what his deal was. He thought we were trying to throw at him. I don't know why we would have thrown at him. He's kind of irrelevant," Smith said.

Ouch. Smith essentially said that Profar, a utility player who has bounced around between four teams in 11 big-league seasons, wasn't relevant enough in the Dodgers' eyes to throw a pitch at.

For what it's worth, Profar told Kyle Glaser of MLB.com that he believed it was intentional at first, but then thought better of it afterwards, given that Stone was working on a perfect game at the time.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.