Rangers' Woodward surprised by Tatis backlash: Baseball has 'evolved'

San Diego Padres superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. broke Major League Baseball's unwritten rules last week when he hit a grand slam on a 3-0 pitch with his team already well ahead against the Rangers. Now, after voicing his displeasure with the homer, Texas manager Chris Woodward is attempting to smooth things over.

"The game has changed and evolved, and that's fine," Woodward said during an appearance on MLB Network Radio. "But it's a difficult thing to kind of navigate. ... The only thing I don't want to see is ... people lose respect for the game. This is a great game and the traditions of baseball are what makes the game great."

"I love where the game is at," he added.

While Woodward appreciates tradition, the sophomore admits he's embraced the direction the sport is heading.

"I love watching these guys play, man. I love watching, like I said, the passion," the skipper said. "The different countries, the different cultures. Guys play the game different than the way I was brought up in. And I've embraced that. I challenge our guys to play with a little bit more passion. Maybe a little more fun. We are entertainers out there at the end of the day."

Tatis took the MLB lead in home runs when he clobbered a 3-0 offering off Juan Nicasio in the Aug. 17 game with the bases loaded, giving the Padres an 11-run lead. In the subsequent at-bat, Rangers reliever Ian Gibaut threw at Manny Machado and wound up serving a two-game suspension. Woodward, who said he "didn't like (Tatis swinging on 3-0) personally," also served a one-game ban.