The quote was so apt, Major League Baseball used it on social media to promote the Southern California showdown in this year’s National League Division Series.

“This,” San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado said, “is what everyone wanted to see.”

The Dodgers, it turns out, included.

“Me, I wanted San Diego,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said. “Just because of the adrenaline and the intensity, just the history of these two teams. I think this is the best scenario for us. And not only us, but the whole baseball world.”

“It’s felt like it’s been on a collision course for that,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman added. “It’ll be really good baseball.”

Indeed, while the Atlanta Braves represented a likely easier NLDS matchup for the top-seeded Dodgers, a rematch with the Padres — who swept the Braves in their wild card series this week, setting up an intradivision clash starting with Game 1 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium — brings a unique opportunity.

It’s the team the Dodgers struggled the most with this season, dropping eight of 13 matchups despite still winning the NL West division.