Dodgers and Padres faltered against weaker clubs to open a critical stretch, surrendering ground in a tightly bunched NL West. Snell’s velocity dip and Arizona’s sharp pitching slowed Los Angeles, while Minnesota’s offense toppled San Diego and Bogaerts landed on the IL. Freeman, Hernández, Call and Bogaerts anchor the vaunted lineups, but Cortés’s rough night for New York and the lack of head-to-head clashes heighten the importance of beating the teams you should beat in the coming weeks. The race remains wide open.