Six weeks ago, the Padres were reeling. They returned to San Diego having dropped both series on a road trip through Cincinnati and Philadelphia. On the ensuing off-day, the Dodgers beat the White Sox to move nine games clear in the National League West.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on quite a skid, and they're at risk of losing the National League West to the rival San Diego Padres.

The only team with an easier strength of schedule than the San Diego Padres is the one team that could steal the division from them.

Shohei Ohtani pitched for the first time as an opponent at Angel Stadium but saw the Dodgers lose their fourth straight -- and their grip on the top of the NL West.

It's going to be a pressure-packed, riveting showdown, and it begins with future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw on the mound at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. More MLB: Mets Predicted to Lose 5-Time All-Star Pete Alonso in Free Agency Surprise

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani honestly shared his thoughts on Los Angeles losing its grip on the No. 1 spot in the NL West standings.

One big swing from Shohei Ohtani, and there was a brief sense of relief in the visitors' dugout at Angel Stadium. But then things swung back in the opposite direction just as quickly.

It's a tight race in the NL West, and the Padres are atop the division for the latest in a season since the 2010 season. With two big series coming up in August, the Padres have a chance to put some distance between themselves and the Dodgers for the division title, which they haven't done since 2006, nearly two decades ago.