The Los Angeles Dodgers saw their early NL West lead officially erased Friday night, falling 2-1 to the San Diego Padres in a tightly contested pitcher’s duel at Petco Park. The loss dropped Los Angeles to 73-56, tying them with San Diego atop the division with just over a month left in the regular season.
Friday saw a strong outing from Blake Snell, who gave the Dodgers seven innings of two-run ball, allowing six hits and striking out eight. It wasn’t enough to overcome a quiet night at the plate, as Yu Darvish and the Padres bullpen held LA to just three hits. Rookie Alex Freeland’s first career home run accounted for the Dodgers’ only offense all night.
In a post shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), SportsNet LA posted video of manager Dave Roberts addressing the media in the aftermath of the loss. Roberts acknowledged the frustration but made it clear he was encouraged by what he saw from Snell.
“That was a really bright spot, I thought Blake was fantastic tonight. Really good lineup and the way he navigated, got through seven innings—just a really stellar performance and you know unfortunately we couldn't figure out Darvish, and you know they went to the pen, and just really threatened a couple of times late, but just couldn’t get that big hit.”
Dave Roberts addresses the media following the Dodgers' 2-1 loss to San Diego in the series opener. pic.twitter.com/4uSZThQ7Vf
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 23, 2025
Roberts’ postgame comments came amid rising tension in the fanbase, with frustrations spilling across replies to the video post. Many pointed to the team’s offensive struggles—15-17 since the All-Star break—and questioned lineup choices, including continued starts for a slumping Michael Conforto.
This latest chapter in the ongoing Dodgers vs. Padres rivalry came with high stakes. The series opener marked a turning point in the NL West race, where the Dodgers, once up by nine games in early July, have now gone 20-24 since July 1. Their once-firm grip on the division has loosened.
Despite the loss, Snell’s performance stood out. The former Cy Young winner delivered one of his most efficient outings of the season, going seven strong innings against a playoff-caliber Padres lineup. Through six starts in 2025, he owns a 3-2 record with a 1.97 ERA, 30 strikeouts, and a 1.38 WHIP over 32 innings. His ability to go deep into games has helped preserve a bullpen that has been heavily taxed during the second half of the season — a critical asset for a team battling multiple injuries.
The NL West standings update after the loss shows both clubs deadlocked at 73-56 with 33 games remaining. The next two games of the weekend series, including Saturday’s matchup, now carry added urgency. LA starter Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 3.12 ERA) will look to snap an uncharacteristic 11-start winless streak when he takes the mound against Padres newcomer Nestor Cortes (1-2, 5.87 ERA).
