Dodgers Team News

Padres Starter Seth Lugo Calls Dodgers Out for ‘Bush League’ Move After Allowing 8 Runs on Monday

The Los Angeles Dodgers came back from a 5-0 deficit on Monday, scoring eight runs in the 4th inning off Padres starter Seth Lugo en route to a dominant series-clinching 13-7 victory.

The Padres scored five runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning, looking well on their way to mustering a series split. However, the Dodgers didn’t wait long to come back, bringing 11 men to the plate in a dominant eight-run inning capped off by a Mookie Betts grand slam on a 3-0 pitch.

That ended up being the final pitch Lugo would throw in what turned out to be his worst outing of the season, allowing eight earned runs in 3.1 innings while striking out just two.

After the game, Lugo didn’t want to take credit for his poor start, rather calling out the Dodgers for looking at his pitches from second base and relaying them to the batter.

He accused LA of what would be legal, but something he called ‘bush league.’

Betts, who hit the final dagger on that 3-0 count against Lugo, refuted his claim.

“If that’s what he wants to think, sure,” Betts said. “But nobody’s paying attention to that.”

Via San Diego Union Tribune

Additionally, Padres manager Bob Melvin didn’t seem to have a problem with it, if that was, in fact, something the Dodgers were doing.

“Every team does it,” Melvin said. “Every team.”

Via San Diego Union Tribune

Whether the Dodgers were doing it or not, it’s on the pitcher to ensure he’s taking all the necessary precautions to not give the opposing team an advantage.

If he didn’t want a batter spying on his pitches from second base, he shouldn’t have allowed them to get there in the first place.

Overall, though, this is a pretty sad excuse for a pitcher who got absolutely rocked on Monday and blew a 5-0 lead to a division rival.

The Dodgers have one of baseball’s best lineups, and he wasn’t able to put them away after being given a 5-0 cushion.

If it makes Lugo feel better to call LA out, then so be it. But there’s a reason the Padres are 55-58 and clawing for a Wild Card berth, while the Dodgers are looking to make the postseason for the 11th straight season.

Photo Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

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Noah Camras

Noah is an Editor for Dodgers Nation. He graduated from USC in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and minor in Sports Media Studies. He's been a Dodger fan his whole life, and his all-time favorite Dodgers are Matt Kemp and Russell Martin.

8 Comments

  1. So the Dodgers are guilty of the same thing they and the rest of baseball’s establishment blamed Houston for in 2017. That Padres manager was right though when he said that everybody does it.

  2. Hahahahaha what?! Even if the Dodgers had the signs and were relaying them to the hitter…CHANGE YOUR SIGNS. That’s 100% on the pitcher and catcher. I’m glad Melvin didn’t back him up with that. That’s one of the lamest excuses from a pitcher I’ve ever seen. Fitting that he’s part of that clown show of a franchise.

  3. Why do arrogant? Yes, you have been to the post season a lot, but, no real WS titles since 1988.

    I know you guys pretend that COVID Cup counts, but, we all know that in a full season you guys can’t win in October because you use relievers all season and Kershaw sucks in the post season. Great job winning that silly tournament after 1/3 of a season.

    Even the Padres can beat the Dodgers in October.

  4. Come On!!! Talk about Cheating!
    Look at Tatis getting caught!!
    Hey Lugo check yourself and your team first before you start your accusations! Not Happy then look for a better team… that’s if Anyone wants you! Poor excuse for a Pitcher!

  5. The Padres sound a lot like the Dodgers whining about the Astros. When you pkay badly, its much easier to blame everyone else. Make no mistake – what the Astros did was wrong, but I sure am tired of hearing all the whining while pretending theh were squeaky clean.

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