In many ways, the San Diego Padres are a feel-good story in the 2024 MLB season. Luis Arraez is a modern-day anomaly who just won his third consecutive batting title on his third different team. Jackson Merrill has poise beyond his years, making a big switch to center field and constantly smashing big hits in his terrific rookie campaign. And Mike Shildt is making many franchises regret not offering him a manager job for the last couple of years. But this club does not wish to live up to its Friars nickname.

The Padres embrace being the villains, particularly when they face the Los Angeles Dodgers. Emotions were running high on both sides during Game 2 of the National League Division Series this past weekend. Outfielder Jurickson Profar taunted the crowd, Fernando Tatis Jr. marveled at his home runs, Jack Flaherty drilled Tatis with a pitch, Manny Machado tossed a baseball in the direction of manager Dave Roberts and some Dodgers fans wreaked havoc by throwing objects in the vicinity of Padres players.

San Diego prevailed and evened up the series at one game apiece while also making sure to revel in the moment. Machado and company sent a strong statement to LA that they are ready to rumble. Three-time MVP and current analyst Alex Rodriguez believes that LA must avoid taking the bait and diving into the chaos.

“This is not baseball, this is WWE,” he said on the Fox Sports pregame show ahead of Game 3. “And that's exactly what the Padres want. Manny is a great kid… but he enjoys being the heel. He enjoys being the bad guy. But it's not him, it's a character. What the Dodgers can't do is go for the head fake… The Dodgers are just a bunch of good guys, and they don't feel comfortable in this craziness. But here we go, WrestleMania III today.”

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Tuesday's clash has lacked the animosity of Game 2, but it is packing plenty of fireworks all the same. San Diego bombarded the road team with ground balls and Tatis blasted another home run in a six-run second inning. Teoscar Hernandez responded in the third with a grand slam to give Los Angeles life. The score remains 6-5 at time of print.

If we are to use Alex Rodriguez's WrestleMania III analogy, and assuming the Padres are the heel, then this could be a rough ending for Petco Park. This squad has flipped the script multiple times in 2024, though, so no one should predict what it is going to do next.