The Los Angeles Dodgers tightened their grip on the NL West by sweeping the San Diego Padres with a tense 5-4 win at Dodger Stadium. This victory pushed the Padres three games back in the division with just six weeks left in the regular season.
Los Angeles also grabbed the crucial season-series tiebreaker. While the Dodgers look primed for a deep playoff run, the Padres are wrestling with pitching issues, streaky offense, and slumping stars — problems that might decide their postseason fate, even though they’re still hanging onto a wild card spot.
Dodgers Continue to Dominate the Rivalry
This series felt like it could’ve been a turning point for the Padres. Instead, the Dodgers showed why they’re still the class of the NL West.
Mookie Betts, despite a season that’s been a bit underwhelming by his standards, has started to heat up at the best possible time. He’s batting .341 with a .923 OPS over his last 11 games, and his home run off Robert Suarez in the finale was the difference-maker.
Mookie Betts Finding His Form
Betts’ hot streak gives the Dodgers exactly what they need: a clutch performer catching fire before October. Pair that with a rotation featuring Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and you start to see why Los Angeles looks so dangerous right now.
Padres Pitching Struggles at a Critical Time
The Dodgers’ rotation looks ready for playoff baseball, but San Diego’s pitching staff is heading the other way. Michael King is out, and both Yu Darvish and Dylan Cease are struggling on the mound.
This has put even more pressure on the Padres’ offense, which just hasn’t found the consistency to keep up with Los Angeles. The gap’s growing, and it’s starting to show.
Lack of Long Ball Hurting San Diego
The Padres’ lack of power is glaring—they’re second-to-last in all of Major League Baseball in home runs. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are second in the league and thrive on the long ball.
This difference in slugging was obvious during the sweep. It’s tough to win when you’re not matching your rival’s firepower.
Stars in a Slump: Tatis and Machado Struggling
Fernando Tatis Jr. hasn’t homered in 100 plate appearances. He’s shown better plate discipline, which has helped his on-base percentage, but the Padres really need his power if they want to make noise in October.
Manny Machado’s August Woes
Manny Machado is stuck in a rut, with just one RBI in August and rough numbers with runners in scoring position. Manager Mike Shildt says he believes in Machado’s ability to bounce back, but time’s running out for him to rediscover his swing.
Bright Spot: Ramón Laureano’s Hot Bat
One pleasant surprise for San Diego has been Ramón Laureano. Over the last four games, Laureano has hit three home runs and given the lineup a boost from the bottom of the order.
If the Padres want to stay in the division race, they’ll need more of that from guys like Laureano. Sometimes, it’s the unexpected contributors who make all the difference.
Playoff Outlook Still Favorable for San Diego
The sweep stings, but there’s still some optimism in the Padres’ clubhouse. They’re holding the NL’s second wild card slot, and FanGraphs gives them a 97.1% chance to make the postseason.
On top of that, San Diego has one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league. So, maybe there’s still time to turn things around. Or at least, that’s what they’re hoping.
The Real Key to October Success
The Padres’ postseason dreams might not hinge on beating the Dodgers in the regular season. It’s more about stabilizing their pitching staff and getting stronger performances from their marquee hitters.
With the division already a tough climb, they’ll need to focus on fixing weaknesses before October sneaks up. The Dodgers look like the NL’s benchmark yet again, so the Padres face a different kind of race.
They’re not chasing a rival in the standings this time. They’re racing against time to patch things up before the games really count.
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Here is the source article for this story: Padres Daily: On brand; Suarez in the 8th; Manny’s RISPy business; more Tatis talk
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