Aug 23, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) celebrates as he scores during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Padres’ Manny Machado Gets Honest About Facing Dodgers

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Aaron Coloma | Last updated Aug 24, 2025 12:34 PM ET

San Diego Padres third baseman and former Los Angeles Dodger Manny Machado spoke about the energy he and his team bring when facing the Dodgers.

The Padres won both of the last two games against the Dodgers this weekend, and are gearing up for a series sweep at Petco Park on Sunday. The Dodgers currently lead the season series, 8-4.

“It was intense, for sure,” Machado said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I’m not going to lie about that. Every game that we play against them, the intensity is always there. I think we really played some good baseball overall. I think it was a nice test for us to come out there and play our game consistently. That’s the biggest key. That’s our strength as a ballclub. So, you know, how can we continue to do that?”

Machado has come around to score three times so far in the Dodgers' series against the Padres, and is 1-for-6 with two walks during that time. The third baseman has become something of a villain in LA after leaving the Dodgers to join their division rivals.

Machado played 66 regular season games with the Dodgers, batting .273 with a .825 OPS. He hit 13 home runs and drove home 42 RBIs in that time. He was a part of the Dodgers' 2018 World Series run, recording three RBIs in the opening game of the series, though the Dodgers ultimately fell short.

The Dodgers and Padres matchup has blossomed into one of the most exciting rivalries in the game over the past few years, mostly due to the overall competitiveness and high-impact matchups between the two.

Sunday's series finale is the final game the two teams will play against each other in the regular season, and the Dodgers currently trail the Padres by a game in the NL West. A win on Sunday would bring the Dodgers above the Padres, as they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, and set them up to spoil the Padres first division title since 2006.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will take the mound for the final game of the Dodgers' series against the Padres, which is on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. PT.