Giants President Larry Baer Has Respectful View of Dodgers Rivalry

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) talks with San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) during the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres have made some progress on becoming a prominent rival to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but that designation still belongs to the San Francisco Giants.

Their intertwined history traces back to the East Coast, where the Dodgers originated in Brooklyn and the Giants played in New York. Matchups have included brawls, high stakes and more, but Giants president and CEO Larry Baer views it as a respectful rivalry devoid of hate.

During an appearance on the "Dan Patrick Show," Baer explained his view that the Giants-Dodgers rivalry doesn't include hate.

"Let me tell you a couple quick stories. Number one, growing up in San Francisco, Juan Marichal and John Roseboro. Got Giants, Dodgers, Maury Wills, Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale with Mayes, McCovey and Marichal.

"It's one of the great rivalries of sports and it remains a great rivalry. So hate, I don't like the word hate, because it's just a rivalry that will get your blood going in a good way."

Ironically, one of the examples Baer shared to highlight the historic rivalry is regarded as arguably the worst moment in MLB history.

On Aug. 22, 1965, in front of a season-high crowd of 42,807 at Candlestick Park, the Giants were hosting the first-place Dodgers in a pitching matchup that featured Juan Marichal and Sandy Koufax.

After multiple batters had already been hit and warnings issued to both teams, John Roseboro took matters into his own hands and buzzed Marichal's head while throwing the ball back to Koufax. The two exchanged words and Marichal hit Roseboro in the head with his bat.

It set off a benches-clearing brawl and marked the first time a bat was used to hit another player.

Nevertheless, Baer's viewpoint is an extension of other praise he had for the Dodgers when explaining they are not ruining baseball.

Dodgers, Giants set rivalry aside

For the 2020 season opener, the Dodgers and Giants participated in a planned demonstration by taking a knee while holding a 200-yard black fabric.

Then in August 2020, the teams agreed to postpone a game in response to the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.

“Throughout our country’s history, sport has been a powerful vehicle towards change. The Dodgers and Giants proudly join our players in the shared goal for a more equitable and just society,” the Dodgers and Giants said in a joint statement that night.

The Giants also paid tribute to Vin Scully during his final broadcast of the regular season, and again when he passed away.