If there’s anyone who can feel the pain of heartbreak, it’s certainly the San Diego Padres. They were still recovering from the demise of last season, when their divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, again handed them a devastating 8-7 defeat in the series opening. But you know, why does it hurt more this time? Because the Padres fought neck and neck with the Dodgers, only to find themselves on the losing side. While they consider the Dodgers as their arch-rivals, LA doesn’t seem to agree fully. Perhaps that’s why the pressure on San Diego was more. And after the game, another Dodgers star made it clear that they don’t view the Padres at the same level.

Before the divisional showdown, Max Munchy made it abundantly clear that the Padres are not one true rival of the LA. Though he acknowledged them having everything required in intense rivalry, the history between the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants exceeds it. But after the 8-7 defeat, his teammate, Will Smith, took it one step forward. While Munchy avoided trolling Padres, Smith didn’t mince his words. 

In a small clip shared by the DodgersNation on their Instagram handle, Smith was asked about how the win against the Padres felt. He said, “It felt like another game in June.” Well, that says it all. While the Padres were considering this a rematch of last season’s playoff game, the Dodgers treated it just like another game in June. Well, a statement like this wouldn’t be made if the opposing team were the Giants.

From Smith’s statement, it’s quite clear that he doesn’t believe that it felt like a rematch of the NL Division Series from last October. Remember that series? The Dodgers were facing a 2-1 deficit until they rallied and won the series with consecutive shutout innings. It was one of the toughest series on their road to the World Series championship.

But if we look at today’s game, the Padres didn’t leave any stone unturned. They fought until the end like brave knights, but ultimately fell short. Things began going downhill for the Padres when Andy Pages gave the Dodgers a lead in the tenth inning, scoring an RBI double and then scoring on Tommy Edman’s single. Adding to the triumph, Will Smith blasted a two-run home run and added an RBI in the win.

Will Smith once again delivers for the Dodgers

The rivalry between the Dodgers and the Padres is nothing new, but it sure has intensified in the past few years, even if the Dodgers won’t admit it. Every time the two teams face off, people come in large numbers to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars in action. And the fans who came to watch the Dodgers’ catcher weren’t disappointed, either.

In the 8-7 win against the Padres, Will Smith drew first blood. In the first inning, he hit a sacrifice fly, allowing the Dodgers to take a lead. But the fun didn’t end there. Smith hit a home run in the third inning, bringing his total to six homers this season. He is hitting at an impressive .320 average, 36 RBIs, a .423 OBP, and a .926 OPS in 53 games this season.

Additionally, Shohei Ohtani hit a double and scored on another double by Freddie Freeman. While Padres’ Manny Machado did his best, hitting an RBI double in the first inning and returning in the extra inning. The umpire called him out on strikes, which became a talking point. So, it was Smith all the way, as he played a crucial role in helping the Dodgers win the game. With the rivalry buzz all around, we’ll get to see more of Smith in the upcoming games, too.