Padres Respond to Dodgers Catcher Calling Jurickson Profar 'Irrelevant'

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 15, 2024

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday night, San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar thought the Los Angeles Dodgers threw at him on purpose. Benches cleared, leading to Dodgers catcher Will Smith commenting postgame and using the term "irrelevant" to describe Profar.

Profar took it personally and made the Dodgers pay when he cleared the bases with a double Sunday night. The game was tied, and Profar's double gave the Padres a 6-3 lead in the seventh inning. San Diego hung on to win by that score and took the series from their rival on the road.

After the game, media members gathered around Profar's locker anxiously waiting to ask him questions about Smith's comment. Instead, Fernando Tatis Jr. walked out to introduce his teammate.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Jurickson (expletive) Profar," announced Tatis.

The veteran outfielder wouldn't comment on his relevancy.

“I’m not going to comment on that,” he said. “I’m just gonna play like I did. … I heard about it. But I’m not a media guy. I show up out there, you know?”

Profar is showing up for the Padres. He is tied for the MLB lead with four game-winning RBIs and leads the Padres with four go-ahead RBIs.

“He’s got his own opinions about relevancy,” manager Mike Shildt said. “He can judge that all he wants. That’s for him to do. I can tell you this … Profar is very relevant to us. He’s a glue guy for us. This guy has 10 years in the big leagues. There’s some relevancy there. Did a nice job tonight with the three-run double. Beyond that, Pro’s a pro and he’s a very big part of the San Diego Padres. He’s very relevant to me. I believe in him completely. He’s very relevant to his teammates. We respect and appreciate him highly.”

While Profar won't comment on being relevant, his teammates will. He earned his 10th year of service time earlier this season, earning a fully vested pension. Fewer than 10 percent of major league players reach that mark.

“Everyone has their opinion, but at the end of the day how I see it is this baseball game is unity,” Machado said. “Whenever you got a guy that’s got 10 years in the league, I think he’s a little bit more relevant than being irrelevant, as (Smith) said. You have to put some respect on people’s names. I think that’s what this game is losing. They are losing respect for some of these guys who have been doing this for a very long time.”

The Padres scored six unanswered runs to take the series on Sunday, coming from behind in all three games.

“We have a great team, and they have a really, really good team over there,” Profar said. “For us to come in here and take two out of three, it’s a message.”