Inside The Dodgers

Former Padres Veteran Calls Out Fans for Chanting 'Beat LA' Before Dodgers Matchup

Maren Angus-Coombs

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
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Former San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer isn’t holding back when it comes to his thoughts on the postseason, and he’s particularly over the whole "Beat L.A." thing.

On X (formerly known as Twitter), Hosmer posed a question that stirred up some conversation among Padres fans: "Padres fans, honest question? Did we not graduate the #BeatLA chants?"

This sparked a reply from a fan named Igor, who had a clear perspective. Igor responded, "Well, the thing is... we always need to beat L.A. Just the situation. We beat ATL? Now we need to beat L.A. Want to win the division? We need to beat L.A. Want to make it to the WS? Now we need to beat L.A. Just how it is."

Igor’s point was simple: beating Los Angeles is always going to be necessary for the Padres if they want to keep advancing. The Dodgers are a constant hurdle, especially as they await the winner of the Wild Card Series. However, Hosmer wasn’t convinced and fired back by questioning whether the Dodgers were living "rent-free" in the minds of Padres fans.

Hosmer, who retired from baseball in February, has moved on to other ventures, including a new company he co-founded with former Royals minor leaguer Anthony Seratelli. He’s also diving into the podcast world with former teammate Peter Moylan and performance coach Justin Su’a.

Many still remember Hosmer best for his time with the Kansas City Royals, who drafted him third overall in the 2008 MLB Draft. He became a fan favorite during his years in Kansas City, especially after a stellar 2017 season when he hit 25 home runs and posted career highs in batting average, on-base percentage, and OPS.

After that big 2017 season, Hosmer cashed in during free agency, signing an eight-year, $144 million contract with the Padres. Unfortunately, his performance in San Diego never quite matched expectations, and the team eventually traded him to the Boston Red Sox in 2022. Hosmer signed with the Cubs in 2023 but was released after struggling in just 31 games.

Across his 13-year career, Hosmer compiled 1,753 hits, 198 home runs, and 893 RBIs, finishing with a respectable .276/.335/.427 slash line. While his playing days may be over, it seems he’s still got plenty to say about the game and the rivalries that come with it.

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite growing up in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer at the LA Sports Report Network.

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