Bullet point summary by AI
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have established a psychological dominance over the San Diego Padres, proving their mental edge during a recent series victory.
- Frustrated by an offensive slump, Manny Machado snapped at a reporter. His reaction contrasts sharply with the Dodgers’ even-keeled, composed approach.
- San Diego’s inability to manage its emotions and take accountability keeps the team a step behind. To rival Los Angeles, they must mature mentally.
Baseball truly is a mental game and if you needed a reminder of that, look no further than the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres series that ended with two wins for the Dodgers and just one for the Padres. The Dodgers didn’t just physically beat San Diego in that series, strengthening its grip on the NL West division, they beat the Padres mentally too. It was fair for reporters to question what it would take for, specifically Manny Machado, to get out of the funk he’s in.
His response showed the Dodgers own a lot of real estate in both his and the Padres’ heads as a whole.
“I’m a baseball player, not a theorist,” Machado quipped back at a reporter after they asked about Machado’s offensive struggles.
Manny Machado has a heated exchange with a reporter after being asked about his offensive struggles following a tough loss to the Dodgers at Petco Park.
“I’m a baseball player, I’m not a theorist,” Machado said. @SportingTrib pic.twitter.com/L0atnu8nUO
— Fredo Cervantes (@FredoCervantes) May 20, 2026
Machado has every right to be frustrated with himself amid a downward spiral. But taking it personal, well that goes to show the mental side is getting the best of him. It’s more proof the Dodgers are well ahead of the Padres, regardless of how the runs were scored and how the game was won.
Dodgers edge Padres with trait far more valuable than skill
There’s no question the Dodgers have the most talented roster in MLB. They’ve not been shy about spending and spending and adding void years to somewhat play within the loose financial rules of baseball. But Shohei Ohtani smashing a home run and then collecting a win in five innings pitched in the series finale was proof the Dodgers just have the edge mentally. This is a team that is full of composure.
They didn’t waver after dropping the first game of the series and they didn’t waver in the ninth inning of a tie ball game on Tuesday. They just simply play their game. The Padres and Machado showed when things aren’t going their way, they simply unravel. It’s why the Dodgers seemingly always best the Padres.
Machado’s, for lack of a better word, immaturity after the game shows the difference in being prepared for the moment and not. The Dodgers rarely let their frustrations show whether they’re up or down. The Padres have a harder time containing their emotions and it’s hurting them when they face their hated division foes. There’s a reason the Dodgers have won the last two World Series titles; no team is more ready for the moment like Los Angeles. Instead of lashing out, the Padres could take some notes from their rivals.
What will it take for San Diego to get over the psychological hump that’s holding them back?
It’s a tough question that probably shouldn’t be directed at Machado for obvious reasons, but one that’s necessary to ask if the Padres want to ever compete with the Dodgers in this rivalry that has been ignited. One thing the Dodgers have always done well is stay even-keeled. Good teams know how to not get too high or too low. That’s something the Padres struggle with.
When things get out of hand, particularly when they play the Dodgers, they never catch up and it has everything to do with their mentality. In a way, it’s psychological warfare. It’s not impossible to beat though. For one, the Padres have to start taking accountability. Instead of lashing out, all Machado had to say was he has to be better and is working on swing techniques to improve his at bats.
Machado is slashing this season well below his average since his arrival in San Diego and MLB as a whole: .178/.272/.331. He has every right to be mad, but to feel slighted by a fair question proves his mental approach is holding him back more than his struggles at the plate. That’s why the Padres are always one step behind the Dodgers. Until that changes, it will continue to be a lopsided rivalry.
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