“I’m happy, I’m not a pitcher” - Padres veteran Xander Bogaerts on facing the Dodgers’ formidable roster

San Diego Padres second baseman Xander Bogaerts could not help but be amazed by how talented the Los Angeles Dodgers players are. During a recent interview, Bogaerts talked about the strength of the team’s lineup, pointing out that it is one of the best teams ever, at least in terms of roster strength.

The Dodgers, known for their aggressive offseason moves, added notable players like Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani, James Paxton, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to an already powerful lineup featuring Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman among others.

The range and quality of the Dodgers’ lineup left Bogaerts in awe, who then joked about him being relieved of not being a pitcher:

"Come on, man. One thing I know is I’m happy I’m not a pitcher." - Xander Bogaerts

While praising the Dodgers’ lineup, Xander Bogaerts also acknowledged the realistic expectations behind their role as favorites to win the division. He compared the Dodgers’ success to being favored at a casino, emphasizing the sheer talent present in the team:

"The Dodgers are probably way favored to win the division. That’s realistically looking at it. They’re stacked.”

Even though the Dodgers will likely become the toughest team to beat this season, the San Diego Padres are still determined to fight and maybe even beat their rivals to a divisional title.

In the season opener, the Padres showed their resilience, holding the Dodgers to a close score until the eighth innings. Then, during the second game of the series, the Padres beat Los Angeles by an amazing score of 15-11.

Xander Bogaerts achieves weird record by hitting in 5 different countries

Xander Bogaerts achieved a rare baseball milestone by recording hits in five different countries/territories, joining a small group of players in the history of the sport. With hits in the United States, Canada, England, Mexico and South Korea, he showed how versatile and skilled he is as a player.

Xander Bogaerts has now hit in the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, and South Korea

As the Padres return to San Diego to prepare for official Opening Day, Bogaerts’ comments reflected the respect other players have for the Los Angeles Dodgers with a touch of humor.

Despite the challenges ahead, Bogaerts and the Padres will remain focused on their goals, aiming to leave their mark in the highly competitive National League West.