May 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) walks to the mound for a pitching change in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dave Roberts Reveals Dodgers' Goal After Playing 10 Games in a Row Against NL West Rivals

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Jun 10, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken the first game against the divisional rival San Diego Padres in a three-game set.

After San Diego, the Dodgers return home to play the divisional rival San Francisco Giants. After that series, the Dodgers start a four-game set against the divisional rival Padres the very next day.

There is certainly a trend over this intense stretch of games between the top three teams in the NL West division, and to intensify the drama further, only two games separate third place from first.

Manager Dave Roberts spoke on what this June gauntlet means for his ball club.

“I think knowing we’re going to be facing some really good opponents, playing some pretty good baseball, try to win as many as we can. I think the goal is certainly to come out of this in first place.”

After Monday's 10-inning victory at Petco Park, the Dodgers now hold a 1.5 game lead over San Francisco and a two-game advantage over the Padres. With nine more games in a row against these two teams, it makes sense that making it out on top of the division is where the skipper's head is at.

Perhaps this mindset could be shared by the team's star backstop Will Smith as he gave a simple quote about his thought process after securing the first of 10-straight divisional games.

"It felt like another game in June."

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Roberts has talked about enjoying the process of what it means to be a champion since March, and how at times, the process behind getting a team ready for October will start to intertwine with the desired end goal.

Roberts' mindset to simply win as much as possible, and his All-Star catcher's quote about keeping the perspective that it's only a June matchup show that the defending champions of the baseball world are less concerned with a specific series or opponent, and more so with how it will affect their chances of getting back to October.

The often loud and critical Padres may place more value on the first regular season matchup between the two juggernauts, but like the skipper said, as long as L.A. can leave this stretch of games where they started it, there won't be too many reasons to worry.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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