Dodgers All-Star Says LA 'Wants to Sweep' Padres This Weekend

Jun 18, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) runs the bases after hitting a walkoff home run as San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) watches at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are locked in a key divisional battle with the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend that could change the race for the National League West.

Following Saturday's 6-0 loss, the Padres have lost their lead in the division as the Dodgers sit alone in first place after securing the series win.

Just a month ago, the Dodgers had a massive lead in the division and were in control of the race, but bullpen injuries and offensive woes have given San Diego another chance at getting straight into the playoffs.

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Over the past couple of years, the Padres have been the main rival of the Dodgers with intense playoff and regular season clashes that have produced memorable moments on both sides.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith reflected on this weekend's series amid the tight battle happening for the NL West.

"It should be a fun three games. I'm sure Dodger Stadium's gonna be packed, it's gonna be loud, it's gonna be crazy, it should be fun," Smith told reporters Thursday.

"I'm sure Dodger Stadium's gonna be packed, it's gonna be loud, it's gonna be crazy, it should be fun.

"I always love playing there when it's crazy. But yeah, they're big games, we got a month and a half left. So it's kind of getting down to the wire. So yeah, these are three big ones, we definitely wanna sweep in here, yeah."

Will Smith on what he’s expecting out of the Dodgers series vs the Padres this weekend:

“It should be a fun 3 games, Dodger Stadium should be packed. I always love playing there when it’s crazy… we definitely want to sweep.” pic.twitter.com/YYWDhIiFuX

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) August 14, 2025

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Before Saturday's game, the Padres sit second to last in home run totals, while the Dodgers are at the top of the league leaderboard, highlighting how different both teams approach hitting the baseball.

The Friars take a more measured approach to hitting, opting for fewer big swings that leads to less strikeouts. As a team, they sit 28th in strikeouts when hitting.

The Dodgers are a better offense according to on-base percentage, slugging, and batting averaging — an expected revelation since Los Angeles has one of the best lineups in baseball.

While they have the offensive edge, pitching-wise, it is not close when comparing both ball clubs.

The Padres have allowed the second-lowest amount of runs, while the Dodgers are 19th. However, Dylan Cease struggled in his start Saturday, which kept the Padres chasing LA the entire matchup.

Nevertheless, both teams get their wins in different ways and it will be interesting to see which approach yields the best results at the end of the season.

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