The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers could very well meet for the fourth time in six seasons this postseason.
After battling it out in the 2020 NLDS (a Dodgers sweep), the 2022 NLDS (a Padres victory in four games), and the 2025 NLDS (which Los Angeles won in five games), the two look poised for another collision course.
San Diego sits at 38-28 and is in third place in the National League West. However, the Dodgers are just one game up while the San Francisco Giants are sandwiched in second place.
With the first Padres/Dodgers series of the season coming to a close, let’s revisit some comments by reliever Jason Adam from earlier this week.
Here is what Adam had to say about his team:
“I’d take this team over any team in baseball, top to bottom. I’d go to battle with them against anybody, so I’m excited for the series.”
That excitement should be fresh as ever for a pivotal rubber match Wednesday afternoon. The Padres fell in game one, 8-7 in 10 innings, but rebounded with a resounding, 11-1 rout on Tuesday.
Adam may be new to the rivalry, having joined San Diego just last season, but he has already made his impact felt at the back end of this bullpen.
The 33-year-old has a 1.64 ERA, a 3.35 FIP, and 37 strikeouts to 17 walks over 33 innings. Adam is also tied for third in the Majors with 16 holds.
His confidence is admirable, particularly as he and his teammates try to summit the precedent set by their Southern California counterparts. This final game is relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but could help instill the Padres with the much-needed belief that they can overcome Los Angeles.