The San Diego Padres recently played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a series where Petco Park felt more like a home venue for the visiting team, according to several Padres players. Pitcher Joe Musgrove, an El Cajon native, described the atmosphere during Saturday night's game as "out of control," estimating that 90% of the crowd were Dodgers fans.
Musgrove suggested that the influx of Dodgers supporters stems from season ticket holders selling their seats to fans of the rival team. "I’m not going to tell somebody that can make a lot of money, or get some of their money back by selling tickets, not to, but I think that’s the main reason," Musgrove told The San Diego Tribune's Jeff Sanders. "It seems like all of our fans that show up for every other series of the year and fill it out seem to sell their tickets when these series come around."
The rivalry between the Dodgers and Padres has intensified in recent years, fueled by both teams' consistent contention for World Series titles and their close proximity. The two clubs have met in the playoffs three times in the last six seasons.
Padres relief pitcher Jason Adam acknowledged that he too would likely make the trip from Los Angeles to San Diego to see a game if he lived in Los Angeles. Former Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler, who was present for the series, remarked that while he has seen Dodgers fan bases take over opposing stadiums before, "This weekend was freaking crazy."
Padres outfielder Samad Taylor initially downplayed the significance of the fan presence, stating before the series that it was "just another day of baseball." He noted that regardless of who is in the stands, it amounts to approximately 40,000 fans.
However, Musgrove and fellow Padres player Jackson Merrill indicated that the distinction between home and away fans often blurs during these matchups due to the sheer volume of crowd noise. "I mean, the atmosphere is the same still. I don’t think there’s a lot of players that really feel the boos or hear the cheers," Musgrove said. "It’s more just noise, you know. So, whether it’s our fans or their fans, if it’s noisy, it’s all the same."