Aug 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) watches play during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images David Frerker-Imagn Images

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Admits He'll Be Watching Padres Closely

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Aaron Coloma | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed he will keep a close eye on the San Diego Padres for the remainder of the season.

“I think that’s part of it. When you’re in a pennant race that’s part of the fun,” Roberts said. “I can compartmentalize a little bit – keep one eye on the scoreboard and still focus on doing my job.”

The Dodgers ended their series against the Padres over the weekend in first due to the head-to-head tiebreaker, though lost their first series to the Padres this season. They scored just two runs in the first two games of the series combined, but bounced back to salvage the series on Sunday with an 8-2 victory.

The Padres have a favorable schedule for the next two weeks, with three of the four teams they are set to face currently sitting below .500. Two of those teams are also in last place in their division.

This isn't great news for the Dodgers, as the Padres have been red hot since the beginning of July. They were as many as nine games behind the Dodgers in July, however, a recent Dodgers free fall has reignited the race for the top of the NL West.

Looking at recent history, the Dodgers have the edge in the division, as they have won the NL West in 11 of the last 12 seasons. The exception is 2021, where they still won 106 games and finished just a game behind the San Francisco Giants.

The Padres haven't won the division since 2006 and are behind on the tiebreaker, however, have the easiest schedule in MLB for the remainder of the season.

Against teams other than the Padres in August, the Dodgers are 8-9. These kinds of stretches won't keep them in the lead for long, and they will definitely need to improve if they are to remain at the top of the NL West.

The Dodgers took the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, 7-0. The Padres lost the Seattle Mariners, giving LA a one game lead in the division.