Padres Reliever Doesn't Think Dodger Stadium Shouldn't Host Another Game After Game 2 Debacle

Maren Angus-Coombs | 2 Hours Ago

David Frerker-Imagn Images

Jeremiah Estrada, now a reliever for the San Diego Padres, has made a complete 180 from his childhood as a devoted Dodgers fan attending games at Dodger Stadium.

He cherished the thrill of cheering for his favorite team live in the stands, but after the chaotic Game 2 Padres victory, he found himself reflecting on the intensity of the rivalry from a different perspective.

“That’s sad, it’s just a baseball game,’’ Estrada said. “I grew up the same way as probably 90 percent of those fans there, but clearly there are those who don’t know how to mature. Part of me kind of kicked in too as part of the immaturity part, screaming at them."

Estrada recognized the heated nature of the rivalry but emphasized that there are boundaries.

Jeremiah Estrada discussed what he experienced attending games at Dodger Stadium growing up in terms of fan behavior: pic.twitter.com/ZO51t8A7YT

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“I get the whole rivalry stuff, but there’s no rivalry that should be taken that seriously. When it comes to health hazards of throwing objects at us, that’s not good. At the end of the day, it’s just freaking baseball. You guys are ruining the legacy of Dodger Stadium by throwing beer cans at us. You don’t want us throwing something at you. We wouldn’t miss."

While the Padres couldn’t respond physically to the actions of Dodgers fans, Estrada said they took their frustrations out on the field.

“We know we couldn’t do anything, but we retaliated by taking it out on them on the field. That’s the way we handled it. Ok, you want to show us, we’ll show you.”

Estrada spoke at length about his Los Angeles upbringing and how the Dodgers influenced his dream of becoming a professional player. However, he firmly believes the Padres shouldn’t have to face the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium again for a possible Game 5 due to safety concerns.

“If I was the commissioner of baseball, I wouldn’t even allow a Game 5 at their place,’’ said Estrada, who spoke for 20 minutes, describing the beer cans, bottles, and baseballs thrown onto the field and in the bullpen. “I mean, why? Why would you want to test that to happen again?

“That’s hard to control people. Something’s going to happen.’’

Sunday’s fan behavior has put both teams in a difficult position. While the Dodgers are keen to avoid further incidents, the Padres are understandably anxious about player safety if they return to Dodger Stadium.

If the Padres win on Wednesday, though, they won't even have to worry about traveling back to Dodger Stadium for a Game 5.