Padres’ last L.A. trip this year?
San Diego’s swing through Southern California could mark the final trip to Dodger Stadium this season, depending on how the playoff picture unfolds. The recent run of meetings between the two teams has become a hallmark of the rivalry, with the Padres and Dodgers facing off in the NL Division Series three times in the past five seasons.
But the current standings shift the landscape. Milwaukee’s Brewers have surged to the top of the NL, and the rest of the field is bunched behind them. If Milwaukee stays ahead, the NL West winner is likely to secure the second or third seed, while the runner-up could finish fourth or fifth. That dynamic would mean the Padres and Dodgers could enter October on opposite sides of the bracket for the first time in this edition of the rivalry.
If their paths cross in the playoffs despite those prophecies, it would set up a potentially epic seven-game NL Championship Series. For fans, the evolving bracket means every head-to-head game down the stretch matters even more.
What to watch as the season winds down: Milwaukee’s continued surge to lock up the top seed, how the Padres and Dodgers navigate their remaining series, and any late-season tiebreakers that could reshape the NL playoff bracket. The shifting seeds underline the depth of competition in the National League and keep the door open for a dramatic October showdown.
Positive take: the evolving standings highlight the depth and unpredictability of the NL, promising high-stakes baseball and plenty of post-season drama for Padres, Dodgers, and Brewers fans alike.