Padres' Playoff Celebration Sparks Debate Over Underage Player Drenched in Alcohol

The San Diego Padres' clinch of a wild-card playoff spot has been accompanied by controversy after footage emerged of teammates soaking 20-year-old catcher Ethan Salas with alcohol during a post-game celebration. Salas, who is below the legal drinking age, was doused with beverages as the team celebrated their 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

While Salas himself was not shown consuming alcohol, and the team reportedly provided him with sparkling cider, the scene drew criticism from some observers who questioned the practice. "So we’re just going to ignore this? Does everyone think it’s funny for an underaged player to be drinking alcohol now? @MLB please do something about this," one user posted on X.

Others voiced a broader critique of baseball celebrations, with one user commenting, "Never understood why baseball celebrates this way. Be like hockey and celebrate when you win it all not just get a pennant or advance into next round."

However, many on social media defended the team's actions. "Did you see him drink it? It was dumped on his head. Chill out," one user responded. Another added, "I think we’re all good with it. Grow up."

Salas, a highly touted prospect, made his MLB debut on Sept. 2 against the Cincinnati Reds, becoming the youngest player to catch a game in the league since Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez in 1991. Since his call-up, Salas has posted a .229 batting average with two home runs and five RBIs in 15 games.

The Padres have three regular-season games remaining against the Arizona Diamondbacks before commencing postseason play next week.