The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres completed their first series of the 2026 season at Petco Park, which amounted to first three of 13 total head-to-head games on the schedule.
Competition in the National League West has been sparse for the Dodgers since 2013, but the Padres have given them a run for their money in the standings the past two seasons and are in a strong position once again in 2026. Dave Roberts played for both teams and has experienced it from his post as Dodgers manager since 2016.
Dave Roberts’ favorite memory from Dodgers-Padres games
Roberts’ tenure has included several highs and lows against the Padres, but there’s one moment that resonates more than others.
“You know what, my first game that I managed was against these guys. So that was something I remember. Kenta Maeda hit a home run,” he said. “There’s been a lot of good memories, there really has. I love coming here. It’s a beautiful ballpark and the fanbase is great too.”
For Maeda, it went down as the only home run of his career and came during his MLB debut. He also pitched six scoreless innings against the Padres to earn the win. That night was Roberts’ third game as Dodgers manager.
The Dodgers have dominated the series since 2013. However, it has been more competitive since the 2020 season, with San Diego even taking the season series in 2024. Of course, the Dodgers returned the favor that fall by eliminating the Padres in the NL Division Series en route to winning the World Series.
Outside of the nine other games they will play against the Padres this season, the Dodgers don’t plan to direct their attention to what is going on in San Diego and will instead keep focused on their own game.
“I don’t think we really concern ourselves with anyone, to be quite honest, and I think that’s the way we should think of things,” Roberts added. “It’s no disrespect to any team. It’s just, we got to keep our closet clean and play good baseball, and it’ll take care of itself.”
Dodgers not making more of playing Padres
Although the season is still young, games against divisional opponents can have a significant impact down the line.
Tiebreakers can even go as far as effecting home-field advantage for the final series of the season. One only has to look back to 2025, when the Toronto Blue Jays secured Games 6 and 7 at home because of a series played two and a half months earlier.
Still, the Dodgers intend to keep their focus on the here and now. Worrying about tiebreakers is unproductive, especially if the team plays up to their capabilities this season.
“I think that’s more of a macro,” Roberts said earlier in the week. “Honestly, we’re just trying to win tonight. There’s a lot of baseball left and we’ll see where it comes out in the wash as far as that. Yeah, every game is important. I think that’s the bottom line. We don’t take this for granted.”
Make sure to follow Dodger Blue on Instagram! It’s the best way to see exclusive coverage from games and events, get your questions answered, and more!
