The Padres banned Fox's dugout reporter from their dugout

The primary role of a dugout reporter in Major League Baseball is usually fairly straightforward. He or she is the main conduit for pre-, post-, and in-game interviews for the television audience.

Game 3 of the National League Divsion Series between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers was an exception.

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal was nowhere to be seen in the Padres' dugout during the game as the Padres won, 6-5. After the game, when Fernando Tatis Jr. stood on the field for a postgame interview, the questions came not from Rosenthal but from Joe Davis and John Smoltz in the Fox broadcast booth.

The reason? Rosenthal had been banned from talking to the San Diego players, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Acee reports that the one-game ban will be lifted for Game 4 on Wednesday.

Rosenthal practically invited the Padres' ire with his commentary for The Athletic about third baseman Manny Machado's controversial throw toward the Dodgers' dugout in Game 2 of the series.

Rosenthal called Machado's throw, ostensibly in response to a Jack Flaherty pitch that hit Fernando Tatis Jr., "punkish."

"Machado is far from the Padres’ only irritant," Rosenthal continued. "Fernando Tatis Jr. is a smiling, dancing peacock. Jurickson Profar is the kid who pulls the fire alarm at school and then asks, 'Who, me?' "

Apparently The Athletic's paywall was no obstacle to the Padres. "The Padres, suffice it to say, were not pleased with Rosenthal’s brand of journalism," wrote Acee. "The team did not conduct the usual in-game interviews with him on Fox last night. It was a one-game boycott, and those interviews are expected to resume tonight."

Barstool Sports noted that Tatis reposted a photo of himself celebrating on the field along with a peacock emoji.

At least Smoltz and Davis got to hone their live interview chops for a day.