It’s payback time at Petco Park, and Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. is sending a bold message to the Dodgers ahead of Game 2. After a 2-1 victory in the series opener, the Padres are fired up to avenge last week’s sweep at the hands of Los Angeles.
Just when San Diego appeared ready to challenge for the NL West lead, the Dodgers swept them, reclaiming momentum. Now, the Padres have a chance to shift the balance, with a win on Saturday night potentially putting them back atop the division.
Before the matchup, Tatis Jr. emphasized the team’s determination to bounce back. “It was huge,” he said. “Everyone knows what happened last weekend. We were going for the first one. Now we’re focused on taking the next two.”
Tatis Jr. was at the center of a major feud between Dodgers-Padres last time
Back in June, tensions flared between the Dodgers and Padres, spilling over to their managers. The conflict started when Dodgers reliever Jack Little hit Fernando Tatis Jr. on the hand with a pitch, prompting Padres manager Mike Shildt to storm out and confront Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Roberts wasn’t backing down either, and the situation quickly escalated into a benches-clearing skirmish.
The Padres later got their own form of payback by hitting Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani with a pitch. Tatis Jr. also raised questions about why Dodgers pitchers have frequently targeted him.
This season, the Dodgers and Padres have met 11 times, with Los Angeles winning seven of those matchups.
