Teoscar Hernandez explains why he & Dodgers wanted to face Padres in NLDS showdown

Teoscar Hernandez has been an underrated star in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. While naturally the team's 'big 3' of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman has garnered most of the headlines, Hernandez has been a driving force for the club in the middle of the lineup.

Now, Hernandez has the opportunity to continue to prove his value to the club this coming weekend in their National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres. This will be the hard-hitting outfielder's first postseason action with the Dodgers, giving him a chance to square off against the club he hoped for.

According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, the All-Star outfielder has been itching to battle the Padres in the postseason.

“Me, I wanted San Diego. Just because of the adrenaline and the intensity, just the history of these two teams. I think this is the best scenario for us. And not only us, but the whole baseball world," Hernandez said of the NLDS matchup.

While some fans might feel that Hernandez's assessment and importance of the matchup might be a tad overblown, there is no denying that it might be the most interesting of the next round of the playoffs. Although the Dodgers have long been considered a favorite to win the World Series, there is a sense the Padres could be a legitimate threat to their NL West rivals.

Despite having a lineup of Teoscar Hernandez, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, the Padres have had the Dodgers' number this year. The Padres have posted an 8-4 record in 12 games this year, a dominant run they will look to continue when the series kicks off on Saturday.

Teoscar Hernandez is not the only superstar looking forward to the Dodgers and Padres series

Following the San Diego Padres Wild Card victory over the Atlanta Braves, six-time All-Star Manny Machado spoke about his excitement for the upcoming series. The third baseman said he has looked forward to squaring off against the Dodgers. He also acknowledged that it is something that the fans have also been anticipating.

"I mean, this is what everyone wanted. It's been going on since Korea and it's been a hell of a year for both teams going back and forth," Machado told Buster Olney after clinching an NLDS berth.

While the other playoff matches have noteworthy storylines that will make them exciting, the Dodgers and Padres battling for National League supremacy will be must-watch television.