Why Max Muncy Says Padres Aren’t True Rivals for Dodgers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers are division rivals; that much we know. However, the question that has recently caused a flurry is, does their rivalry run deeper?

The Padres need a bat. This trade season, that’s the bare minimum. They could use more starting-pitching depth. They could use another reliever. They could use a catcher. But they need a bat. (At least one.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts chimed in on whether or not the Dodgers and San Diego Padres are rivals.

Andy Pages led off the 10th inning with an RBI double before scoring on Tommy Edman’s single, and the Los Angeles Dodgers hung on to open their season series against the San Diego Padres with an 8-7 victory.

“The Padres bring everything that is in a rivalry, but you only have one rival,” Muncy said. “I don't like when people say you have 'rivals.' I just think if you have a rival, it's your, you know, your counterpart, and that's always going to be the [San Francisco] Giants. For the Dodgers, at least.”

Center fielder Jackson Merrill and the San Diego Padres didn't waste much time fretting over Monday night's 8-7, 10-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After San Diego, the Dodgers return home to play the divisional rival San Francisco Giants. After that series, the Dodgers start a four-game set against the divisional rival Padres the very next day.

Just Baseball’s Zach Lutz listed the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen and Houston Astros’ Framber Valdez as top pitchers that could be on the move at the trade deadline, and though the former would be unlikely to be sent to a division rival, Lutz wrote the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers could get into a bidding war for Valdez.