Manny Mania and the NLDS Rivalry
The National League Division Series (NLDS) of 2024 has proven to be a spectacle of intense competition and underlying narratives, primarily dominated by the simmering rivalry between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. With the Padres holding a 2-1 lead in the series, they are on the cusp of eliminating the Dodgers for the second time in three seasons. For fans and players alike, every pitch, swing, and play is charged with emotion.
In recent memory, the Dodgers have been a pillar of dominance in the National League West, clinching the division title an impressive 11 times in the last 12 seasons. However, the Padres have managed to rise from the shadows of seasons marred by losses, such as their 70-92 record in 2019, and transform into a formidable opponent. Their resurgence is exemplified by their performance in the latter half of the current season, widely perceived as the best in baseball.
Manny Machado plays a pivotal role in this burgeoning rivalry. Once donning the Dodgers' uniform in 2018, Machado's transition to the Padres in 2019 signaled a shift in dynamics. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the complex emotions tied to Machado, stating, "It was unsettling. Obviously, I have a relationship with Manny from years past. There was intent behind it."
The Battle of Momentum
The intensity of the NLDS has been a showcase of the psyche of both teams. The Padres, managed by Mike Shildt, seem to thrive as the antagonists in this heated narrative. "I don't want to cast stones. I'm just not. The answer to your question is no. I don't think there was any intent at all with that," Shildt remarked, perhaps in a subtle nod to their strategic mindset that plays on the edge.
Max Muncy, one of the seasoned players of the Dodgers, shed light on the electric atmosphere that surrounds games against the Padres. "The atmosphere here plays off their emotion. And we've seen that for the last several years, even in regular season games. Just something as simple as a single, and you see the guy throwing the bat 30 feet in the air, that really gets the crowd going here," he shared, capturing the intensity that the Padres bring to the field.
It’s not just performance but psychological warfare that comes into play. "That is kind of part of their game is trying to get under your skin and trying to have the emotion come out and get you to do something that you're not normally doing," Muncy added. This tactic appears to have paid dividends for the Padres, who won three consecutive games against the Dodgers in the 2022 NLDS after initially losing Game 1.
The Road Ahead
The Padres' current lead in the series also follows a convincing regular-season performance against the Dodgers, winning 8 out of the 13 games they faced each other. Their determination to maintain a foothold over their Californian rivals is evident, further fueled by their previous success in sweeping the Dodgers in the 2020 NLDS.
As the series progresses, the narrative of hero and villain is beginning to blur, with each team feeding off the tension that has become characteristic of their encounters. "Clearly that team over there, they like the villain-type kind of role and they feed off of that," Roberts observed, highlighting the psychological dynamics at play.
For the Dodgers, who recorded a staggering 111-win season in 2022, the challenge isn't just to overcome the Padres’ physical prowess but also to navigate the charged emotional landscape of this rivalry. As Game 4 approaches, both teams understand that beyond the victory, pride, legacy, and the thrill of competition at its finest are at stake.
In this cross-section of sports rivalry and narrative allure, the 2024 NLDS showcases the best — and at times, the grittiest — aspects of competitive baseball, leaving fans eagerly anticipating every inning and outcome that this storied matchup unfolds.