Aug 2, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn (32) reacts after striking out during the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images David Frerker-Imagn Images

Padres All-Star Downplays Series vs Dodgers

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Valentina Martinez | Last updated Aug 14, 2025 5:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers were once the envy of baseball. Much of the sport saw the offseason as the rich getting richer with the defending champions headlining the winter with a five-year, $182 million deal for Blake Snell.

The notion that the Dodgers were ruining baseball was born. Dodgers owner Stan Kasten even had to defend the team's success last offseason.

“So, obviously, it hasn’t damaged the game competitively,” Kasten said in January.

“And, on the entertainment side, which is what we are, it’s really good when there is one team beloved by their fans, who come out in record numbers, leading all of baseball in attendance, while that same team can be hated and lead baseball in road attendance. That’s a win-win for baseball.

“And this is also really contributing to the enhanced globalization of central baseball around the world. So it’s a win-win-win. This is really good for baseball. I have no question about it.”

Now, as the the postseason quickly approaches, the Dodgers aren't the best team in baseball. They're not even the best in their division.

The Dodgers will face the newly-crowned leaders of the NL West, San Diego Padres, in a three-game set beginning Friday. The Dodgers were swept by the Los Angeles Angels, meanwhile, the Padres are coming off a sweep over the San Francisco Giants.

While the Dodgers' rivalry with the Padres is largely viewed as the biggest in baseball, All-Star Ryan O'Hearn is not leaning into the hype of the upcoming matchup.

“Got a month-and-a-half to play,” O'Hearn, who was one of many deadline acquisitions for the Padres, said to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We’re gonna play just like we played the Giants."

The Padres won the trade deadline and reinforced their roster this summer, so O'Hearn's nonchalant attitude certainly coincides with the team's recent success.

Like the Friars, the Dodgers had several needs to address this summer, but the team chose not to make a blockbuster trade.

Six teams acquired a closer at the deadline, the Dodgers did not.

Several teams acquired a defensive-minded outfielder, the Dodgers did not.

The Dodgers may have won the offseason, but will they win another World Series? Will they even win the division?

After a quiet trade deadline and poor performance for most of July and August, there are legitimate concerns that the Dodgers are not the superteam everyone thought they would be.