Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. are a little overconfident despite dropping Game 4

Despite missing several key players including Freddie Freeman and Miguel Rojas, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Padres 8-0 in San Diego on Wednesday night. Los Angeles was facing elimination, and the series now heads back to Dodger Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5. Both teams ought to feel the heat, even if the Padres swagger won't allow them to admit it.

Game 4 was never really all that close. The Dodgers season was on the line, while the Padres knew they have one result to play with. It made Mike Shildt's decision to start Dylan Cease on short rest all the more confusing, and the right-handed ace struggled. Cease lasted just under two innings pitched and gave up three earned runs and a home run to Mookie Betts. Wednesday wasn't his night.

Despite the loss, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., two Padres players who were defiant in response to both Dodgers manager Dave Roberts -- which prompted an article by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic calling Tatis Jr. a peacock and Machado an instigator -- were as confident as ever in Game 5. Primarily, both players believe Yu Darvish can handle the pressure.

Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. confident in Padres pitcher Yu Darvish

"We've got the right guy on the mound,” Machado said. “We definitely have all the confidence in the world in him."

Tatis Jr. joined that chorus, providing a brief career synopsis for Darvish as a result.

"I have full confidence," Tatis Jr. said. "I feel like he’s already proven himself. He’s proven himself for the last 18 years, probably, pitching in baseball. I have all my confidence playing behind him, and I’m ready to go.”

The stats don't back the Padres up, though. Per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, Darvish has faced elimination four times in his MLB career, and each time his team has come up short. That includes a start with the Padres against the Phillies in the 2022 NLCS, and his loss to the Houston Astros as a member of the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series.

Overall, Darvish has a career postseason ERA of 3.88 in 12 starts, four of which have come for the Padres. Three of his career appearances have been quality starts, meaning he went five innings or more and gave up three runs or less.

From the Padres perspective, Darvish is their best bet, especially considering Cease's struggles against the Dodgers this season. His teammates are certainly behind him, for better or worse.