The quote was so apt, Major League Baseball used it on social media to promote the Southern California showdown in this year’s National League Division Series.
“This,” San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado said, “is what everyone wanted to see.”
The Dodgers, it turns out, included.
“Me, I wanted San Diego,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Just because of the adrenaline and the intensity, just the history of these two teams. I think this is the best scenario for us. And not only us, but the whole baseball world.”
“It’s felt like it’s been on a collision course for that,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman added. “It’ll be really good baseball.”
Read more: Eight concerns the Dodgers should have about facing the Padres in the NLDS
Indeed, while the Atlanta Braves represented a likely easier NLDS matchup for the top-seeded Dodgers, a rematch with the Padres — who swept the Braves in their wild card series this week, setting up an intradivision clash starting with Game 1 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium — brings a unique opportunity.
It’s the team the Dodgers struggled the most with this season, dropping eight of 13 matchups despite still winning the NL West division.
It’s the club that eliminated the Dodgers, in this same round, two Octobers ago, a result that renewed questions about the franchise’s recent postseason failings.
It’s also an opponent that — in a potentially beneficial dynamic for manager Dave Roberts and his staff — should have the Dodgers’ full attention.
“We know they’re gonna bring a lot of energy,” utilityman Chris Taylor said. “That’s the way they always play us. And from that aspect, I think we understand we have to also bring the energy to an extent. We understand they’re gonna give us everything they have. And they’re a really good team too. So we have to play our best baseball.”
Two years ago, in the teams’ last NLDS meeting, the Dodgers almost appeared to be looking past the Padres. They’d finished 22 games ahead of San Diego in the standings. They’d dominated the rivalry in the regular season that year. And, in hopes of winning their second World Series in a three-year span, there didn’t seem to be much concern of a potential early elimination.
Then, in a four-game whirlwind, the Padres played with more energy, better…