Trent Grisham homered off Clayton Kershaw to tie the game in the sixth inning, and his reaction rubbed the Dodgers the wrong way. Grisham let out a loud “let’s go” to his dugout and followed it with a smirk while flashing three fingers, signaling his ninth homer. The Dodgers weren’t happy. They shouted at him from the dugout, and Grisham appeared to yell something back, possibly mocking them. As he touched home plate, the tension ramped up, with both sides jawing.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t hold back in the postgame. He said he was fine with players admiring big home runs, but not when it comes at the expense of someone like Kershaw, who has earned a certain level of respect. Roberts felt Grisham lingered at the plate too long and crossed a line.
The reaction highlights the ongoing clash between baseball’s old-school expectations and younger players’ expressive style. Grisham celebrated a clutch moment during a tight division race. The Dodgers saw it as over the top. The Padres don’t seem to mind being the villains right now, and with their hot streak, they’re not going to change.