The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres played a crucial series this weekend. The Dodgers were World Series favorites entering the 2025 season after winning a title in 2024 and following that up with a massively successful offseason. However, they had fallen behind the Padres by a game in the NL West before this series started.
There was plenty of talk around the division standings, and there was even a notion that the Padres had finally surpassed the Dodgers as the team to beat in the West. Unfortunately for the Padres, that victory was short-lived. The Dodgers came into the series with a chip on their shoulder and swept their division rivals. They are now up two games in the NL West as the month of August nears its end.
Dodgers put Padres back in their place with weekend sweep
Any talk of the Padres now being the "big brother" in the NL West was put to rest on Sunday, at least for the moment. The Dodgers gave them a reality check and put them right back in their place.
Of course, it's only a two-game lead, and the Padres could very easily take back first place in due time. But for now, the Dodgers are still the big brother in the NL West and have the edge in what has become one of Major League Baseball's most heated and noteworthy rivalries.
Dodgers fans still haven't forgiven Manny Machado for leaving Los Angeles to sign with the Padres, but they ultimately got the last laugh on Sunday, as Machado struck out against Alex Vesia to end the series and secure a sweep for the Dodgers.
The NL West is very much a two-horse race at the moment between Los Angeles and San Diego, and it could very well come down to the wire. But until the Padres get back ahead and secure a division title, the road to the World Series still runs through Los Angeles, and the Dodgers are still the better team, even if it's only by a small margin at the moment.
There is still a little over a month left in the season, and this race is certainly going to be an interesting one as we head down the stretch and move closer to the month of October. We'll see if the Dodgers can continue to keep the Padres in check.