What happened: Brock Stewart ran a first-pitch fastball up and in, and Machado went to the ground. He sat briefly, nodded knowingly and looked toward the crowd before play resumed.

Why it matters: The sequence came with the postseason calendar days away, when inside pitches face closer scrutiny. A measured reaction kept the focus on the at-bat rather than the dugouts.

What to watch: Watch the rest of the at-bat for how Stewart works inside and whether warnings follow.