"You can’t take away a home field advantage because of a few idiots” - MLB insiders react to Jeremiah Estrada’s remarks on Dodger Stadium fan behavior
The National League Division Series will return to Dodger Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday night. Although there has been plenty of excitement throughout the postseason, there has arguably been no series more entertaining than the NL West rivalry battle between the San Diego Padres and LA Dodgers.
Part of the reason why the series has been so intense and sometimes hostile is that PETCO Park and Dodger Stadium are only 125 miles apart. This tension has boiled over at times, particularly in Game 2 when Dodgers fans threw objects at Padres players in the outfield and bullpen.
Things have reached the stage of series that San Diego Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada has even suggested banning Dodger Stadium from hosting playoff games. His comments sparked debate from several fans and analysts, including the "Foul Territory" crew who shot down the idea on the spot.
"You're not going to take away a home field advantage, something that over an entire season a team worked for and earned, we're not going to change it because a few idiots threw a couple of things," Former Cleveland Guardians star Jason Kipnis said on Friday.
Despite Estrada calling for a ban on games held at Dodger Stadium, this is something that would likely never happen. Instead, the team and the MLB could ban the fans who are causing issues.
"Come on dude, you can't ban a ballpark for a few rotten eggs," Scott Braun said.
It remains to be seen if any hostile actions will be made against the San Diego Padres players such as Jurickson Profar and Fernando Tatis Jr., who were in the middle of the action. The only clear thing is that Friday's series-deciding matchup will be must-watch television.
This is not the first time that incidents involving fans at Dodger Stadium have taken place
Like every stadium across the league, Dodger Stadium has not been exempt from unruly fans. Although not necessarily aggressive or hostile, during the 2023 season, one Dodgers fan jumped over the wall and into the outfield. He did not engage with any players and only used the opportunity to propose to his partner.
According to reports, Ricardo Juarez, the man who ran onto the field, received a one-year ban from the stadium for his actions. If anything similar to what happened in Game 2 happens on Friday night, this will likely be the same punishment.