SAN DIEGO - The Los Angeles Dodgers are the opponent San Diego Padres fans focus on, and for very good reason.

Finishing ahead of Los Angeles would allow the Padres to skip the first round of the playoffs - that is, if they also outpace one of the other two National League division winners.

The Padres and Dodgers this month will play six games against each other to wrap up their season series. The Padres trailed L.A. by one game in the National League West standings as Tuesday began.

But the first opponent of interest here today, as it pertains to the Padres in their strengthening bid to win this year's World Series, is the National League West's other large-market franchise.

The San Francisco Giants are having yet another blah season, taking a 59-60 record into Tuesday and trailing th

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