Adam Jones: Manny Machado's Reputation Would be '100%' Different If He Were White

Jones and Machado were teammates for seven seasons with the Orioles from 2012-18.

Diamondbacks outfielder Adam Jones said Manny Machado's race is "100%" a factor in his reputation as a dirty player, according to The Athletic's Zach Buchanan. 

The Padres third baseman was called out on a catcher's interference against the Diamondbacks on April 3, bumping into Arizona catcher John Ryan Murphy as he ran up the first-base line. Fox Sports Arizona broadcaster and ex-Diamonbacks manager Bob Brenly called the play a "bush-league." The incident was the latest of three controversialmoments involving Machado dating back to 2018.

"I’ve been with the guy every day in the bigs besides the last six months. I don’t see him as a dirty player," Jones told Buchanan. "I see him as a player who plays the game hard."

Jones also responded to Buchanan's question whether "Manny’s reputation would be different if he were white?"

"100%. 100%. 100%," Jones said. "We know that, because some players are called grinders and other players are called something else. Some players are called pouting, other players are called passionate. It’s all about how you word it."

Machado and Jones played together for seven years from 2012-18. The Orioles registered four winning seasons in that stretch, reaching the playoffs three times. They have not won a postseason series since 1997.

Jones signed a one-year contract with the Diamondbacks on March 10. Machado was traded from the Orioles to the Dodgers in July 2018, then signed a 10-year, $300 million deal with the Padres on Feb. 19.