Earlier this month, when the San Diego Padres acquired Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals, it seemed like the Padres batting lineup is unbeatable. With hitters like Juan Soto, Manny Machado, and Josh Bell by their side, the Padres make one of the strongest batting units in the entire MLB.
After the inclusion of Soto, many MLB fans believed that the Padres batting lineup could easily dominate the star-studded batting lineup of the LA Dodgers. However, it was the polar opposite in the recent series between the NL West sides.
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Not only did the Dodgers sweep the Padres in the three-game series, but the Dodgers also proved why they are the best batting unit in Major League Baseball. After suffering the sweep against the Dodgers, the San Diego Padres slugger Manny Machado and Juan Soto weighed their opinions on the results. And they did not seem worried at all.
LA Dodgers prove their superiority against the San Diego Padres
It is not that the San Diego Padres do not have a good batting unit. But their new batting unit is yet to be proved in big games. And it will take time for the Padres to become a batting powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have a tested batting lineup. They outscored the Padres by 20-4 in the three-game series.
In the name of Mookie Betts, Trea Turner, and Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers have multiple game-winners from the plate who can swing hard in the big games.
After the defeat in the last game of the series, The Padres star Manny Machado did not seem concerned. Per ESPN, Machado said, “concerned? why would I be concerned? Not at all. Cause I’m fu**ing Manny Machado.”
Is Manny Machado concerned about the way Padres match up with the Dodgers?
"Concerned? Why would I be concerned? Not at all," he said.
Why the level of confidence?
"Cause I'm freaking Manny Machado," he said, but he didn't actually say freaking.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) August 8, 2022
The newly acquired San Diego Padres superstar, Juan Soto, preferred to move from the series sweep against the Dodgers. Soto also hinted that the Padres would come to all guns blazing in the next series.
Juan Soto's thoughts on the weekend?
"Forget about it," he said. "We start another series tomorrow, and we're going to be ready for that."
"Don't be surprised if you see all these guys going off next series," Soto added.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) August 8, 2022
“Forget about it,” he said. “We start another series tomorrow, and we’re going to be ready for that. Don’t be surprised if you see all these guys going off next series,”
Padres owner wants to slay down the Dodgers
The rivalry between the Dodgers and San Diego Padres is decades old. The two NL West sides would do anything to defeat each other. However, it is difficult to beat the Dodgers, given their balanced roster and current form.
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But the Padres owner Peter Seidler still hopes to beat the Dodgers and bring them down. “They’re the dragon up the freeway that we’re trying to slay,? the San Diego Padres owner said.
"They're the dragon up the freeway that we're trying to slay." – Padres owner Peter Seidler to ESPN on the Dodgers.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 8, 2022
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Do you think the Padres will take their revenge against the Dodgers this season?