The Los Angeles Dodgers rivalry with the San Diego Padres is probably as intense as it's ever been, which explains why it felt like there was so much on the line for a simple three-game regular season series that took place between the two teams over the weekend. The Padres were full of antics throughout the series, but according to Mookie Betts, it doesn't sound like they impacted the Dodgers too much.
Betts played hero in the rubber match of this series by hitting a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth with two outs, sending the game to extra-innings, where Los Angeles eventually prevailed. Betts noticed that the Padres were trying to get in the Dodgers' heads, particularly when it came to trolling Clayton Kershaw, but it doesn't sound like he or the rest of his teammates were too phased.
Via David Vassegh:
“Mookie Betts said some of the outside antics in San Diego didn’t fuel him or Dodgers. ‘That’s tactics to get under our skin, make us act out of character…We’re the ones that determine the outcome of the game.'”
The Padres did their best to agitate the Dodgers throughout this series, but Los Angeles ended up being the ones getting the last laugh, thanks in large part to Betts' aforementioned heroics. Again, it's only a regular season series, but given the history between these two teams as they compete for the National League West crown, it looks like they could end up engaging in a hard-fought battle for postseason positioning throughout the entire 2023 campaign.
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