Things are getting interesting in the National League West, a division which has been led by the Los Angeles Dodgers for most of this season. However, Los Angeles has some competition.
The San Diego Padres have all of a sudden emerged as a serious threat to take down their rivals. They've won five consecutive games and eight of their last 10, coming to within 2.5 games of first place in the division.
Former Major League Baseball player Cameron Maybin likes what he's seeing from the team.
"This is the most selfless Padres team that I've watched in the last few seasons," Maybin said on Foul Territory. "I watch the at-bats from the team. Nobody's trying to be the hero. It's that pass the baton mentality where guys are having quality at-bats, getting quality pitches to hit, trying to move guys."
Maybin is clearly impressed by what he's seeing from the Padres, who are one of baseball's hottest teams at the moment. They currently even lead the NL Wild Card race.
But the team is playing well and it's clear that they want to play for each other. Manager Mike Shildt has helped transform the team after they finished 82-80 and fell short of the postseason in 2023.
And as the regular season winds down, we might potentially see the Padres overtake the Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West. That would give them their first division title since 2006.
The team is performing well and giving Los Angeles a run for their money. We'll see if they can catch the Dodgers by the end of the season.
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