The Padres' crossing of the line has drawn attention, with U.S. media revealing that Shohei Ohtani no longer tips his cap to them.

On June 20th this year, during the matchup between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani was intentionally hit by a pitch. Dodgers announcer Stephen Nelson pointed out that after this event, Ohtani ceased tipping his cap toward the Padres’ dugout.

Famed for his respectful etiquette, Ohtani originally tipped his cap to every opposing team, but now he specifically excludes the Padres. Nelson told "ESPN LA," "If you watch closely when Ohtani steps into the batter’s box for the first time each game, he always tips his cap to the opposing dugout before taking his stance."

The incident occurred on June 20th during a heated four-game series between the Dodgers and Padres, which saw a total of eight hit-by-pitches. In the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a runner on third, Ohtani was struck on his right back by a 100 mph fastball from Padres closer Robert Suarez. Despite the tense atmosphere, Ohtani immediately raised his hand to stop teammates from rushing out of the dugout and even smiled to defuse the potential conflict, displaying his typical gentlemanly demeanor. However, MLB later ruled Suarez’s pitch as intentional and handed him a two-game suspension.

"But there was one team and one manager who completely stopped receiving his salute — that was Mike Shildt’s Padres. At the Dodgers’ stadium, they ordered Suarez to hit him on the back with a 100 mph inside pitch," Nelson bluntly stated.

Nelson commented on this saying, "When we talk about etiquette and respect, his stance is clear—respect is mutual. Once that line is crossed, he keeps it in mind. He has never spoken publicly about it and won’t bring it up in the future, but his silence speaks volumes."

The news sparked heated discussion among fans, many saying, "You really messed up by losing Ohtani’s respect." Some fans half-jokingly speculated that Shildt’s sudden retirement at the end of the season might be connected to this incident. With Shildt stepping down and 41-year-old Craig Stammen taking over as Padres manager, whether Ohtani will resume tipping his cap to the Padres next year will be a focal point for observers.

U.S. media outlet OutKick commented that Ohtani is not only the strongest player today but possibly one of the greatest in history, and his reaction is completely justified as a rightful response to the Padres’ disrespectful behavior. However, some Padres fans believe the outside world is overanalyzing Ohtani’s subtle gestures and that it shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.