The Dodgers have been having bullpen trouble for a while. This weekend, it might be time for the tides to turn with key arms returning.

LOS ANGELES — It was touted as the biggest series of the month. It was billed as a potential passing of the torch, with the San Diego Padres threatening to win the National League West for the first time in 19 years. Instead, Sunday’s finale ended in a three-game sweep — and a relatively convincing one, at that.

The Padres president of baseball operations was talking about the good Dylan Cease, the man capable of shutting down teams and throwing no-hitters. That is not who climbed the mound in the first inning Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

A clutch home run from Mookie Betts helped the Los Angeles Dodgers cap off a dominant weekend against the San Diego Padres.

Mookie Betts hits a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 on Sunday.

Then Betts rescued the Dodgers with the 394-foot shot to left-center off Robert Suarez. It was the shortstop's 13th homer of the season and just his fifth since June. Betts had 25 in 2022 and 39 in 2023.

Amid another rough start for Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday night, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts found it hard to explain the struggles at Coors.

Mookie Betts had a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the third inning, Teoscar Hernández homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat San Diego 3-2 on Friday night to tie the Padres atop the NL West.

Los Angeles is now two games up in the standings, with a 71-53 record. The Dodgers are on the road for a four game series at Colorado, before these two teams meet up again next weekend, this time in San Diego. The Padres are now 69-55, and will start a four game series against the Giants on Monday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are beating the San Diego Padres when it counts, and it's especially sweet for an ex-Padres star.