San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Dylan Cease sees the dominant 11-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers as a sign of hope. A common killer for the Padres recently has been their reliance on the bullpen.

The Dodgers and Padres squared off this week in their first of four 2025 regular-season series and the first rematch since the Southern California foes faced off in last year’s NLDS. With the Dodgers holding a one-game lead on both the Padres and Giants atop the NL West entering the series, the stakes were readily apparent.

Singles by Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth and Tyler Wade being hit by a pitch loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth. The Padres’ lone run in the inning would score on a double play grounder by Maldonado.