The San Diego had momentum, and they had won back-to-back and seemed ready to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. All the while LA was coming off a bad rout. However, now the Dodgers are the ones riding that swagger, and hence the Padres walked away looking lost. LA, meanwhile, managed a 6-0 and used San Diego’s mistakes to their advantage.
From the jump, it was ugly. Padres starter Dylan Cease handed the Dodgers three free passes in the first inning. Then LA didn’t stop at any accord. Teosca Hernandez brought one run home with a sac fly, then Michael Conforto’s two-run single gave the Dodgers control. Then Jackson Merrill dropped what should have been a routine fly ball, and two more runs happened. And by then, LA was 5-0 and only moving ahead.
On the other side, former Padre Blake Snell showed exactly what the opposition has been missing. He tossed six shutout innings against San Diego and limited them to five hits, making their offense look powerless. Three other Dodger relievers followed suit and locked down the shutout, and the Padres lost brutally.
“I told Mike Use me however you need me..DH..pinch hit, outfield, 1B. Whatever it takes to help this team win.” -Ryan O’Hearn #padres pic.twitter.com/1EpodAcTtf
— Allison Edmonds (@aedmondstv) August 1, 2025
One insider from Section 1904 on YouTube vented out about the bizarre lineup choice. He mentioned, “Ryan O’Hearn almost can’t get into the lineup. Jose Iglesias, the guy who was signed to be a utility glove, is the DH every time the team faces a lefty. I am utterly frustrated by that.” And O’Hearn honestly was the gem when it came to the trade deadline, and the team not using him properly and tactfully is what is irking the fans. Infcat Ryan himself said, “I told Mike Use me however you need me..DH..pinch hit, outfield, 1B. Whatever it takes to help this team win.”
Plus the frustration grows deeper when you see the Dodgers’ mindset. Will Smith, their $140 million catcher, had warned before the series that these games are big ones. The goal of the team was nothing less than a sweep. Now, after back-to-back wins, his words seem almost prophetic. And the Padres now are stuck in neutral. Their bats have vanished against the Dodgers, and their offense plan seems wrecked. And for now, their inability to answer is becoming difficult to ignore, given that LA has taken the sole lead of the division.
San Diego’s Padres’ Michael King eyeing a return as soon as possible
Now the San Diego Padres have gone through ups and downs this season, and Michael King has been through both of them. Just days after making his return from the IL, though, he ended right back at it. This time with left knee inflammation. In fact, he did admit that he could have pitched against the Dodgers in the series opener, but given the pain, he couldn’t. “I know it’ll hurt every pitch.”
The knee trouble had come up after the July 28 stimulated game at Petco Park. King had pushed through, but the pain came back during his first start against the Boston Red Sox. Then an MRI was done, which revealed that there was no structural damage. But the fluid was drained from his knee, and according to King, he already feels “better.” So if all goes well, then the start is targeting a return before the end of the month. Which means when they play against the Seattle Mariners. That would give him enough time to make around six more starts heading into what the Padres are hoping will be a deep postseason push.
For context, King has been one of the most reliable arms in baseball this season. He ranks eighth among pitchers with at least 200 innings thanks to his 2.92 ERA. His value on the open market, though, will be interesting. Because he is expected to decline a $15 million mutual option when he tests the free agency. For now, King says he wants to be a “cheerleader” for the teammates. But make no mistake: if the Padres want to get into October, King staying healthy is crucial.
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