A Los Angeles Dodgers ace has a pitch that a pair of San Diego Padres pitchers would love to add to their arsenal.

Outfielder Josh Mears, a 2019 draft pick for the Padres, has incredible power but never was able to hit for average and retired from baseball this past week (.167 average this season). Outfielder Ripken Reyes was transferred from El Paso to San Antonio to replace him on the roster.

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.

Two San Diego Padres pitchers have noted the kinds of pitches they would take from a rival ace for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Teoscar Hernández broke a sixth-inning tie with a three-run homer and Michael Conforto also went deep for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 to take two of three games in the first series this season between the NL West rivals.

Yamamoto walks a season-high five in just 4⅔ innings – including three in a span of five batters before Casey Schmitt’s grand slam – and San Francisco takes the series opener, 6-2.