Dodgers Legend is Very Confident in LA’s Chances to Win the NL West Over the Padres

The Dodgers and Padres are in the midst of a three-game series in San Diego this weekend, their first series of the 2023 season. The Padres got the better of the Dodgers in the first game on Friday, winning 5-2 behind two home runs from Fernando Tatis Jr., someone who wasn’t a part of the rivalry in the 2022 season.

However, it is important to remember that this was just one game in early May, and these teams will play another 12 times this season — and there are still over 100 games to go in the MLB regular season. So while the Padres’ stadium workers were taking tacky shots at Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers and their fans know there’s a lot more baseball to play this season.

Ahead of the highly anticipated May series between the division rivals, Dodgers legend and current MLB broadcaster Eric Karros spoke to AM570 radio about the Dodgers vs. Padres rivalry, and who he has winning the National League West this year. He exuded immense confidence in the Dodgers winning the division over the Padres this season.

“How can you pick the Padres, the Dodgers won the division by 22 games last year,” Karros said. “Not five, not 10, they won the division by 22 games. They did not lose a season series to San Diego … the Padres got them on one week. That doesn’t make them a better team. That doesn’t make them, oh they’re going to win the division. They got them one week. One week.”

Karros concluded with a very confident statement:

“I take the Dodgers 99 out of 100 times to win the division.”

Karros definitely may be exuding more confidence than most, but he does make a good point that the Padres were better than the Dodgers for just one week last season.

However, I don’t fully agree with the fact that the Padres can’t be considered better than the Dodgers because of the success of the two teams last season.

Last year was a very different year than this year, and it’s showing early on. The Padres welcomed Tatis Jr. back, and signed All-Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts. The Dodgers, on the other hand, lost All-Star shortstop Trea Turner, among a few other key pieces.

While I do agree that the Dodgers are still a better team than the Padres, I don’t know if I would have the same confidence to say the Dodgers would win the NL West 99 out of 100 times. The Padres are a very good team this season, and are likely going to be in a battle with the Dodgers for the division all year long.

I think both the Dodgers and Padres are very good teams, and at the end of the day, the division can go either way. However, a division title isn’t what the Dodgers are shooting for this season.

The Dodgers have one goal this season, and one goal only: To win a World Series championship. The Dodgers have won the NL West nine times in the last 10 seasons, and have just one World Series to show for it. So I don’t think any Dodger fan cares where the Dodgers finish this year, as long as they make the postseason, and do their damage in October and November.

But either way, I like the confidence from Karros. Hopefully he’s right about the success of this Dodgers team.

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