Zack Greinke paid a severe price for standing up to Carlos Quentin on Thursday.
The Dodgers revealed after their 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres that Greinke suffered a broken left collarbone during his fight with Quentin that led to a bench-clearing brawl.
Greinke hit Quentin with a pitch in the sixth inning and the Padres outfielder charged the mound. Greinke dipped his shoulder down to brace for contact, which might have been when he got injured. The two ended up on the ground and a pile formed on top of them.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly was fuming about the situation after the game and thinks just punishment would be for Quentin to be kept out until Greinke returns.
“I don’t understand it either,” said Mattingly. “We’re in a 2-1 game, and a 3-2 pitch, a guy that set a record for the Padres for getting hit, a guy that basically dives into the plate. In a 2-1 game we’re trying to hit him 3-2? It’s just stupid is what it is.
“He should not play a game until Greinke can pitch,” Mattingly said. “If he plays a game before Greinke pitches, something’s wrong.”
Mattingly continued to blame Quentin for the incident.
“He caused the whole thing,” the Dodgers manager said. “Nothing happens if he goes to first base like baseball you know you do. Because you know he’s not throwing at you 3-2 in a 2-1 game. That’s zero understanding of the game of baseball. He shouldn’t play a game until Greinke can pitch.”
Greinke said after the game he did not hit Quentin on purpose.
“He always seems to think that I’m hitting him on purpose, but that’s really not the case.”
Greinke sure looked macho dipping his shoulder on Quentin, but I was thinking at the time that as badass of a move as that was, it was probably dangerous because it could result in an injury. Sure enough, it likely did.
As for Mattingly’s assertion that Quentin shouldn’t play until Greinke can, I disagree with that. I do think Greinke played a role in the brawl by saying something to Quentin after the outfielder took a step toward the mound, and I think his tough guy display backfired on him.
