The warning signs are not subtle anymore—they are flashing in bold red. With just two months left in the regular season, the Dodgers have entered the ‘act now or regret later’ territory, and no, this is not coming from fans on social media. It is coming straight from inside the baseball world.

Foul Territory’s Jack Harris said, “They want to have a top two seed, and if they’re going to do that, they need to be a lot better over these last two months.” Translation? The Dodgers can not afford to cruise anymore—specifically, with the team’s largest divisional threat heating up quickly.

What is specifically telling is the tone behind Harris’ observation. There is an understanding that for a team with such a consistent playoff pedigree, the regular season can look like a formality. “It’s kind of all practice games until they get to the real season,” Harris added, echoing the complacency that has quietly crept into the team’s dugout. However, there is an issue: this season, those so-called “practice games” matter more than ever, because lurking in the shadows is a hungry $1.95B rival with a point to prove.

That rival, of course, is the Padres—and they are not just knocking on the door; the team is threatening to kick it in. This is not just related to roster depth and standings—it is related to the thought process. While the Dodgers have been grinding through injuries with at least 30 players either on or visiting the injured list, international trips, and inconsistent performances, the Padres have identified their rhythm at just the right time and momentum. That is a scary thing to hand to an underdog.

Even Cameron Maybin did not stop when discussing the Padres’ sudden rise: “Things just feel right for the boys down in San Diego,” Maybin said on Foul Territory, and honestly, he is not wrong. The vibes are transforming. The team’s bullpen is deep, and they are capable of turning any game into a five-inning sprint. Unlike the Dodgers, who are waiting for their stars to click back into form, the Padres look like a team already operating at full throttle.

However, it is not just related to vibes and rotation depth—it is related to urgency. The Dodgers have been through the ringer the last 18 months. From travel fatigue to star slumps, the team has managed to stay afloat. However, ‘staying afloat’ does not cut it anymore when the Padres are stacking wins and stacking pieces. That sense of coasting? This is exactly what is being called out. “They need to flip the switch,” Harris added—and the switch can not be delayed any longer.

The Dodgers are still in first place (66-49), yes; however, it looks like a first place that is being held together with duct tape and muscle memory. On the contrary, the Padres (64-51) are surging with confidence, sharper execution, and, perhaps most effectively, hunger. And with just 2.0 games behind, who knows how long the Dodgers can sit atop the NL West? If the Dodgers do not react quickly— on the field and at the management level—this could become the summer when the Padres stage a full-blown coup of the NL West.

While the Padres’ quick rise has the Dodgers looking over their shoulder in the standings, they have made certain trade moves that have the potential to keep the franchise in that top spot.

Dodgers’ recent trade moves

It would be safe to say that the Dodgers made quite a trade deadline move when they acquired Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Call, among others. They also parted ways with right-hander Dustin May and James Outman. In return for May, the Dodgers received top prospect James Tibbs III. And that’s a good move considering Tibbs is hitting .232 with 13 home runs and 39 runs batted in across 87 appearances in both High-A and Double-A this season.

Despite the fan sentiment largely reeking of frustration owing to the Dodgers’ slow deadline day, MLB insider Bob Nightengale explained why he thinks that trading May for Tibbs was the “best under-the-radar move” of the deadline. He wrote, “They sent Dustin May to the Boston Red Sox simply because he wasn’t good enough to make their rotation, and brought back minor league outfielder James Tibbs, who was the Red Sox’s fifth-ranked prospect, and a key piece from San Francisco in the Rafael Devers’ trade.”

“Rival executives believe the deal could be a steal for the Dodgers with Tibbs having a chance to become a star.”

Now that could be one move that holds up against the Padres, who already boast the best bullpen out there. And with the arrival of Mason Miller in San Diego, it makes all the sense for the Dodgers to buckle up. With that, the tide also appears to be changing in Los Angeles, given that the pieces are falling back in place with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow returning healthy and gaining their momentum. Even Roki Sasaki is expected to return in September.

The Dodgers, a team that banks on star power and deep pockets, have sometimes stumbled when it comes to the little moves—the role players, the utility depth, and the backend bullpen stars. In a tight NL West race, where every game looks like a playoff preview, such little moves could decide everything.

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