rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
As the Los Angeles Dodgers have just one true rival, the San Francisco Giants, there has been a lot of intense battles with the San Diego Padres in recent seasons. Look no further than the drama that unfolded this past season between the Friars and the Dodgers to understand all that the past half decade has had to offer in terms of high-stakes baseball.
Superstar Mookie Betts recently provided his take on what both divisional foes mean to him in a conversation with Adam Weinrib of FanSided. The eight-time All-Star dissected the key differences between the Padres and Giants and spoke on which team has more aggression towards LA.
More news: Walker Buehler Discusses Potentially Facing Dodgers in Postseason This Year
“I would say San Diego probably has more aggression towards the Dodgers,” said Betts. “San Francisco, to me, it’s they just don’t like the Dodgers… It’s probably from half the fans have probably moved from LA to San Francisco, and vice versa, and so that’s where a lot of it probably stems from and obviously the years prior, right?
“But now, since I’ve been a Dodger, San Diego’s been good. I didn’t know San Diego when they weren’t as good. I think San Diego has more of a hatred towards the Dodgers, but it makes it fun, man. It makes it fun, that’s why I think that the atmosphere is tough to play in just because these people genuinely don’t like us and I think it’s enjoyable.”
An October matchup with the Padres would certainly be “enjoyable” to say the least, but that would only occur if the two teams met in the NLCS due to the current postseason seeding.
To Betts’ point, he knows the history of the Giants and Dodgers rivalry, but since he joined the team ahead of the 2020 campaign, there have been more tense battles with the Friars, including three NLDS series’ with San Diego and one (albeit, drama-filled) with the Giants.
More news: Dodgers’ Max Muncy Provides Major Injury Update as Wild Card Nears
Photo Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
Have you downloaded the new Dodgers Nation app yet? Click here for Apple Users and here for Android Users to be a part of the redesigned app to give fans everything they need, all in one place. Don’t miss out on live GameCast with play-by-play, news and analysis, Dodgers Nation podcasts and videos, all the stats you want and more!
