The Padres spent months chasing down -- and eventually overtaking -- the Dodgers in the National League West standings. Staying atop the division, it seems, will be another challenge entirely.

The San Diego Padres play against the Los Angeles Dodgers in an MLB game tonight. Fans can watch this game for free online.

Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada has flourished by discovering the virtues of the elevated fastball, pairing elite velocity with elite characteristics that make it death on those who dare to swing at an elevated heater. But Hernández was ready for it, taking an elevated fastball for a strike before unleashing on the second one he saw.

Randy Vasquez is being thrown to the wolves tonight, and Shohei Ohtani will be one of many to take advantage of this matchup, per our Padres vs. Dodgers predictions for Friday, August 15, 2025.

How Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw turned back the clock with a vintage performance against the Padres.

The Dodgers have quelled plenty of challengers during their reign in the division, but the Padres have shown enough staying power to fuel increasingly contentious bouts.

According to MLB Pipeline, the Padres' farm system after such a wild trade deadline ranked dead last in baseball. In the preseason, they ranked 25th, but after a wild deadline, Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra, and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com had an easy time ranking the Padres in last place.

The San Diego Padres bandwagon is filling up, just in time for a critical series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with first place in the National League West at stake.

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