"Red Sox vs Yankees is 100 years old" - Will Smith refutes  Dodgers vs Padres rivalry's status in MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith has been with the team since 2019. The three-time All-Star has locked horns with the San Diego Padres, who in recent years have become the Dodgers' most heated divisional rivals, a position once held by the San Francisco Giants.

Due to the intensity of the Padres vs Dodgers games, many have declared it the best rivalry in baseball. However, Smith doesn't think so. The 30-year-old shared his thoughts about it on his "On Base with Mookie Betts" appearance, released on Saturday.

"I'm kind of off base on that," Will Smith said [Timestamp 8:11]. "I think, you know, we've had five years now of some really good baseball games, really good series, postseason matchups and stuff. But, you know, the Red Sox [vs] Yankees is 100 years old, you know, like that's, that's the rivalry in baseball, just from a historical standpoint."

Will Smith pointed out that he doesn't take the bouts against the Padres for granted. However, he pointed out that the Dodgers vs the Padres doesn't have the longevity to be the biggest rivalry.

Currently, the Padres hold the top spot in the National League. However, the Dodgers could reclaim that spot with a victory in the third game of the series against the Padres, who won the first two.

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Mookie Betts agrees with Will Smith

Like Will Smith, his Dodgers teammate Mookie Betts also believes that the Red Sox vs Yankees rivalry is the best in MLB. Betts has first-hand experience of being in both, having played for the Red Sox from 2014 to 2019.

"I agree with that," Betts said [Timestamp 8:44]. "I think, you know, playing with the Red Sox, going into that rivalry, it's not just about baseball. I feel like here it's mostly just about baseball, like who has the best team, and it's a beautiful, beautiful thing, right? I definitely enjoy coming to Petco and hearing all the fans and whatnot."

Betts said that the fans are thunderous in Petco Park, and it creates a great atmosphere for playing baseball. He also pointed out that Yankees vs Red Sox is more than baseball; it's also about the cities.

"You know, it's like whose city is better, who can get louder, and all this other stuff. So, I think to your point, it runs much, much deeper and so much, so long with the history. And so I would be off base with that," Betts said.

Despite his beliefs about the Red Sox vs Yankees rivalry, Betts holds the Padres in high regard. After the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in the 2024 World Series, Betts was among the first to declare that their National League Division Series against the Padres was the tougher matchup.