There was a operating perception round some individuals throughout the Dodgers group in latest seasons, a concept about their Southern California rivals that sprouted two Octobers in the past and has been crystalized in a tightly-contested division race this yr.
When the Dodgers play the San Diego Padres, they appear to usually get the Padres’ finest.
And when the rivalry ratchets up, the Padres’ depth tends to go highest.
It was definitely true within the 2022 playoffs, when the underdog Padres stormed to a four-game Nationwide League Division Collection win over an 111-win juggernaut Dodgers squad.
It manifested extra subtly final yr, with the Dodgers pressured to grind out a variety of shut rivalry recreation wins regardless of ending nicely forward of the Padres within the standings.
And it has been undeniably clear up to now this season, one during which the Padres have taken seven of 10 head-to-head matchups and trimmed a as soon as nine-game division lead for the Dodgers down to simply three getting into the season’s ultimate week.
“They’ve had their way with us up to this point,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned Sunday.
So, forward of a pivotal three-game set in opposition to the Padres this week at Dodger Stadium that kicks off Tuesday night time, Roberts not solely highlighted the dynamic — however challenged his group to supply a response.
“I think it’s pretty easy to see that when we’ve played them, I think 10 times this year, they came out more intense than we did,” Roberts mentioned. “And that’s got to change. I expect it to change. Playing those guys — in certainly very, very meaningful games — will bring out the best in us.”
Or so Roberts can solely hope.
Significant is perhaps an understatement for what’s at stake this week.
If the Dodgers win the sequence, they’ll clinch their third straight NL West title and eleventh prior to now 12 years, and really possible guarantee themselves of an all-important first-round bye.
By profitable one of many three video games, the Dodgers would nonetheless management their very own future getting into the season’s ultimate weekend — although they’d have work remaining with a magic variety of two going into their closing sequence in opposition to the Colorado Rockies.
And if the Dodgers get swept by the Padres, they’d abruptly be on the again foot: Technically tied for the division lead with three video games to go, however realizing they’d misplaced any end-of-season tiebreaker for the division title as a result of San Diego has already clinched the sting in head-to-head report (the primary time they’ve carried out that in opposition to the Dodgers since 2010).
“Obviously they get up to play us, and they’ve played well,” Roberts mentioned of the Padres earlier this season.
And the way can the Dodgers fight this week?
“For us, I just want the mindset to be, stay on the attack,” Roberts mentioned. “We’re not chasing anyone. And you can’t go into careful, defense mode.”
To Roberts, that mentality hasn’t at all times taken form within the Dodgers’ earlier assembly with the Padres this season.
After beating San Diego 5-2 on opening day in a global journey to Seoul, South Korea, the Dodgers misplaced the second leg of the sequence in a sloppy 15-11 defeat, one marred by Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s disastrous MLB debut.
Just a few weeks later, the Padres got here to Los Angeles and gained simply their third sequence at Chavez Ravine within the final 5 years.
Two subsequent visits to San Diego didn’t go significantly better for the Dodgers, who had been walked off and shut out in a sequence loss at Petco Park in Might, then swept in a two-game set on the finish of July.
“I think the chaser always seems like they have a little extra incentive, so I think that’s part of it,” Roberts mentioned of the depth hole he’s noticed at occasions between the golf equipment. “But the talent being equal, there’s no reason why our fight, our intensity, focus shouldn’t match theirs or best theirs.”
Whereas the Dodgers haven’t pitched nice in opposition to the Padres (they’ve a 4.62 group ERA in opposition to San Diego this season), the membership’s greatest downside within the rivalry this yr has come on the plate.
The Dodgers’ .602 OPS in opposition to Padres pitchers is their lowest mark in opposition to any group this season. And on a number of events this yr, Roberts and others have alluded to the concept that the Padres aren’t intimidated by the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup, acquainted sufficient with them to know find out how to keep away from hazard and acquire outs.
“We have to be proactive and continue to stay on the attack,” Roberts mentioned on Sunday afternoon, of the group’s normal mindset getting into the season’s ultimate stretch. “So that’s kind of my message.”
The very fact this week’s sequence issues to the standings in any respect is a testomony to San Diego’s second-half resurgence, during which it has posted the very best report in baseball (40-17) for the reason that All-Star break.
Consequently, the stress is on the Dodgers to carry them off now, and keep away from the added issues that may include squandering the division crown and taking the lengthy route via the playoffs — particularly for a group already quick on pitching.
“It’ll be fun, a lot of energy,” outfielder Mookie Betts mentioned. “I’m sure a lot of emotions and whatnot. These are the games we dream of playing.”
And ones that, at this level, might result in a nightmare situation in the event that they lose.
“Those guys are playing great,” Roberts mentioned. “But … I feel like we can still continue to be aggressive and go out there and try to win a series.”
