MLB Insider Predicts Dodgers to Lose NL West to Padres

Aug 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after fouling off a ball during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal's belief in the San Diego Padres hasn't faltered, as the analyst still believes they will finish above the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West this season.

"I still like the Padres. And I like the Padres in part because of what the Dodgers just did in Colorado, which was kind of face plant again," Rosenthal said on the Foul Territory podcast.

"It's a different psychology [for the Dodgers], and we've seen that this year."@Ken_Rosenthal explains why he's sticking with the Padres to win the NL West. pic.twitter.com/iSjlI6hCZz

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 22, 2025

"They split that series, and that shouldn't be happening. They are a team that, yes, got up for San Diego last week. But all season long, I just kind of questioned — coming off a World Series title — if the same, it's not desire, but there's something there that I don't see that we've seen from the Dodgers in the past.

"You see it in the Padres. They're out to attack. They're out to slay the dragon. That's the phrase I often use with this kind of situation. They're ready to take the next step."

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The Dodgers have been at the top of the division for nearly the entire season, and stayed at the top after a statement win against the Padres to bring themselves level at first place. The Dodgers won nine of their 14 games against the Padres this season, meaning they own the tiebreaker should it come down to it.

While the Dodgers did blow a historic divisional lead, allowing the Padres to close a nine-game gap in a little over a month, they still have the players and tools they need to secure the division.

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The Dodgers have a very similar lineup to last season's, and have more than enough star power to win games with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith leading the line. The Dodgers are also still in an injury crisis somehow, and we are yet to see their bullpen at full strength for an extended amount of time this season.

With both teams at 74-57, there is no room for the Dodgers to slip up anymore. They won't face the Padres again until the postseason, so they will need to step up their game and win the matchups they should be winning to secure their spot in the playoffs.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.