A torrid summer and trading deadline acquisitions are the key to the Padres’ post season hopes. With the second Wild Card spot, the Padres may go deep into October.

The Wild Card has kept the Padres’ playoff hopes alive in recent years, when the division crown was out of reach. In 2022, the Padres were 22 games behind the Dodgers for the National League West division title yet went from the Wild Card Series to the National League Championship coming so close to their third World Series appearance.

In a short series, a strong starting rotation is the key to advancing. The Padres did it in 1998 and almost in 2023.

If the Wild Card round had started earlier, the Padres would have had more playoff appearances and possibly even another World Series berth and win.

The MLB Wild Card round was introduced in 1994 but not implemented due to the strike that year. The team with the best record that was not one of the 3 division winners got into the playoffs.

With only two divisions before 1994, an earlier wild card would have two teams with the next best records be the wild cards who would then play the division winners in a 5-game format.

The Padres would have qualified in 1989 and 1991.

1989

The Padres were 4 games out with 4 to play but lose on Sep 27, 2-1 to the Reds, before facing the division leading Giants in a final 3 game series. This was a strong team with aces Bruce Hurst, Ed Whitson, and a rookie Andy Benes anchored in the bullpen by Cy Young Award winning closer Mark Davis. Tony Gwynn, Roberto Alomar, Benito Santago and Jack Clark paced the offense.

This was the closest the Padre came to winning their division until 1996. One of the better Padres teams with a good blend of offense and pitching. \

1991

Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez replace Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar in a trade from the Blue Jays the year before.  Andy Benes and Bruce Hurst were still in their prime with a fading Ed Whitson in his last year. Veteran Craig Lefferts was the closer. Benito Santiago and Tony Gwynn were still raking along with Darrin Jackson’s career year.

This would have been a tougher wild card challenge year as the Padres tied with the Cardinals and so they would have to play a single win or go home game before the Wild Card round.

So what does 2026 hold for the Padres who likely will be a Wild Card u nless they can catch the Dodgers for the division.