This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here . And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

At long last, it’s Dodgers week. The Padres welcome their rivals to town for three games at Petco Park, beginning tonight.

It’s a crucial series in the National League West, featuring its usual share of major storylines. Here’s a look at six of those storylines, as the rivalry renews:

1. October rematch

In the aftermath of the Padres’ Division Series exit last October , the hurt resonated so deeply, largely because the Padres believed they could win the World Series. Sure enough, the Dodgers mostly cruised past the Mets and Yankees, and after winning the title, manager Dave Roberts agreed, saying of the NLDS: “I felt, fr

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