Steve Drumwright

The San Diego Padres are sending out their best starting pitcher from the 2026 season to begin the NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs in a rematch of last year's postseason clash won by the Cubs. Right-hander Michael King is the biggest lock from the Padres' rotation entering the postseason. He has a 4.13 FIP (3.21 ERA) in 32 starts and 185 innings, both career highs. The 31-year-old has had a terrific rebound season after two injuries disrupted his 2025. King's walk rate of 9.2% and strikeout rate of 21% are down from his career averages (8.6%, 25.4%), but he has made up for that by limiting hard contact and inducing more groundballs. His groundball rate of 44% is his highest since 2022 when he was a reliever with the New York Yankees, while his hard-hit percentage is down to 32.9% and line drives at 20.6%, both also below career norms (34%, 24%). King had a streak of eight quality starts snapped in his final start of the regular season. His big second half, in addition to his 18 quality starts for the season, provided stability in a starting rotation that had been unstable up until the trade deadline. King did not face the Cubs in either of the two series between the clubs this year, with the Padres going 1-5. The Padres' bullpen is in tremendous shape after using right-handers Randy Vasquez and Griffin Canning in Sunday's regular-season finale. Superstar closer Mason Miller, who finished tied for third in MLB in saves with 38, got an inning Saturday, as did left-hander Adrian Morejon. Those two will be relied upon heavily to get the Padres through any tight games and in the biggest situations. Right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez proved himself a valuable arm and entered a late-inning role when another right-hander, Jason Adam, went down with an injury. With Adam coming back last week, that just deepens the arsenal that manager Craig Stammen has to work with. Those weapons will be necessary against a Cubs offense that led MLB in runs (5.25 per game) and were third in home runs. Leading that group is probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who posted a .280/.372/.570 slash line and an MLB-best 45 homers and 119 RBIs. Batting out of the leadoff spot, Crow-Armstrong can get the Cubs off to a quick start. He hit nine leadoff homers this season to lead MLB. He has hit 38 of his homers since the beginning of June, producing a 1.065 OPS (.302/.397/.668). Alex Bregman and Seiya Suzuki are the other top bats for the Padres to be cautious with. Bregman, a two-time World Series champion with the Houston Astros, famously took a foul ball off his face a week ago, resulting in multiple facial fractures, then stunningly returned to play in Friday's doubleheader and went 4-for-4 with two homers in Sunday's regular-season finale. For the season, Bregman is slashing .265/.355/.464 with 28 homers and 93 RBIs in his first season with the Cubs, while Suzuki has produced a .270/.368/.473 slash line with 26 homers and 86 RBIs in the best season of his MLB career. Michael King vs. Chicago Cubs: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Michael Conforto L 14 11 1 0 0 1 1 3 2 .091 .286 .364 .649 0 0 0 0 0 2 Alex Bregman R 10 8 7 2 0 0 0 2 1 .875 .900 1.125 2.025 0 0 0 0 0 3 Gabriel Arias R 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .333 .667 0 0 0 0 0 4 Ian Happ B 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 5 Tyrone Taylor R 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 6 Nico Hoerner R 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 7 Carson Kelly R 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000 0 0 0 0 0 8 Seiya Suzuki R 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 9/28/2026. The Cubs will counter with left-hander Matthew Boyd. The 35-year-old had a tough start to his season with a pair of injuries, first a strained left biceps and then a torn meniscus in his left knee from a mishap at home. Once he returned in late June, Boyd had a 3.42 ERA in 17 starts. The Cubs' pitching staff in general has been decimated by injuries this year. Eight pitchers are currently on the 60-day injured list. Boyd's walk rate (7.5%) is right about where his career rate (7.3%), while his strikeout is notably down from 22.2% to 18.5%. It was 21.4% last year and 27.7% in 2024. Like King, Boyd has leaned into his defense this season with an increased groundball rate, up from 37.6% to 42.1% this year. Boyd faced the Padres once this season, a 9-7 Chicago victory June 30 at Wrigley Field. Boyd allowed three runs over five innings on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts. The Padres' offense has been on fire in September. Fernando Tatis Jr. has slashed .337/.413/.652 with eight of his 25 homers. Manny Machado has belted six homers while the Padres have a team slash line of .281/.346/.469 and are averaging 5.6 runs per game. Six players have driven in 10 runs or more this month, led by Machado and Jackson Merrill. The running game has also been a key to the Friars' success. Tatis and Merrill are two of only six players with 25-homer, 25-steal seasons and are the only teammates on the list. The Padres have only four hitters who qualify for MLB batting leaders, but that is also part of their success. Other players such as Ty France (.295/.363/.502, 21 HRs), Dustin Harris (.322/.364/.422), Samad Taylor (.316/.390/.408) and what is now a three-headed catching situation—top prospect Ethan Salas joining Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin—have been major contributors. Salas will make history as the youngest catcher in MLB history to appear in a postseason game. He will be 20 years, 94 days old for Game 1. Matthew Boyd vs. San Diego Padres: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Xander Bogaerts R 22 20 4 0 0 1 3 2 3 .200 .273 .350 .623 0 0 0 0 1 2 Manny Machado R 20 19 9 4 0 1 5 0 3 .474 .450 .842 1.292 0 1 0 0 0 3 Ty France R 13 10 4 1 0 0 3 1 1 .400 .538 .500 1.038 0 0 0 2 0 4 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 12 12 3 0 0 1 2 0 2 .250 .250 .500 .750 0 0 0 0 0 5 Freddy Fermin R 11 11 3 2 0 0 2 0 4 .273 .273 .455 .727 0 0 0 0 0 6 Jackson Merrill L 9 9 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 .222 .222 .222 .444 0 0 0 0 0 7 Austin Hays R 6 6 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 .500 .500 .833 1.333 0 0 0 0 0 8 Samad Taylor R 5 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .400 .400 .400 .800 0 0 0 0 0 9 Jase Bowen R 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Jake Cronenworth L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 9/28/2026. View full article

If things go according to plan Tuesday, nearly 45,000 San Diego Padres fans will rise from their seats in the top of the ninth inning during Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series to watch Mason Miller trot in from the bullpen to Korn’s “Blind.” It is part of his Reaper mentality that the Padres introduced to the superstar right-hander in spring training. The atmosphere, as it usually is at Petco Park, will be of pure celebration as Miller throws his warmup pitches, knowing the Friars are just three outs away from taking a 1-0 series lead against the Chicago Cubs. It is intimidating enough to face Miller, much less with 45,000 spectators whipped up by a postseason frenzy getting more intense with every strike. In baseball, home-field advantage is generally not a thing. But it can be in short spurts, like the best-of-three Wild Card Series. The Padres of all teams certainly know that. Since the best-of-three series was added for the 2022 season as the playoff field went from eight to 12 teams, the Friars have played in a Wild Card Series three of four years, missing the postseason in 2023. In each of those instances, they have been in the No. 4 vs. No. 5 series, the one between the top two wild-card teams in each league. The Padres have advanced twice, with the Cubs sending the Padres home a year ago when this same matchup happened at Wrigley Field, where things can get just as crazy as Petco Park. Only one of those 4-5 series happened at Petco Park. That was in 2024, when the Friars swept Atlanta 2-0. The other two saw the Padres on the road as the No. 5 seed, beating the New York Mets in three games in 2022 and losing last year in three games. The Wild Card Series still has a small sample size when it comes to history. In the four years it has been around, the 4-5 matchup has seen the home team win twice and lose twice. That echoes how the higher seed has performed in the Wild Card Series, going 4-4. (We will also note that the Wild Card Series existed in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when 16 teams played in the postseason and the Padres won their series over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park.) Having that raucous crowd behind them will be beneficial for the Padres for a few reasons. First, the Cubs might have trouble figuring out where they are. Since leaving Wrigley Field on Thursday, they flew to Boston for a doubleheader against the Red Sox that was necessary with a huge storm hitting the East Coast. After losing both games of that doubleheader, they flew to Florida to play the final game vs. the Red Sox at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays. After the Cubs won that game, they then headed to San Diego. Petco Park has also produced the fourth-best home record this season at 51-30, tied with none other than the Dodgers. But after a slow start, the Friars posted a 26-6 record to finish the season. It gets a little complicated how that comes about. The Padres have the third-best ERA (3.48) and tied for third-best opponent batting average (.223). Surprisingly, the offensive numbers are on the opposite end of the spectrum. The Padres rank 21st in average (.240), 23rd in OPS (.704) and 19th in runs (4.26). It also helps that the franchise had the second-best attendance in MLB, only behind you know who. The Padres have done better at home in the postseason during this most sustained span of success in franchise history. They have made the playoffs a franchise best three straight seasons and five of the past seven. During that stretch, which began in 2020, the Friars are 8-3 at Petco Park, 4-7 on the road and 0-3 at a neutral site (2020). The home-field edge will be important as the Cubs are good on the road, posting a 43-38 record. In the season series against the Cubs, the Friars did not fare well. They went 1-5, with the only win coming in the first game of the series at Petco Park to conclude April. That was a 9-7 win on April 27. Famously, the Cubs slaughtered the Padres to conclude the series at Wrigley Field 23-3 when the Friars were in the midst of their season-worst eight-game losing streak, the low point of the year. Yes, this series will come down to how the Padres handle probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong and the rest of the Cubs’ offense. It will also be up to the Friars’ hitters try to take advantage of a compromised Cubs pitching staff. But it sure can’t hurt to have 45,000 screaming members of the Friar Faithful on your side. View full article

The difference in regular-season rosters and postseason rosters is as different as the games themselves. Some players who make the 26-man roster in the MLB postseason can sometimes have you thinking “Why?” only to find out their role once the games unfold. With that in mind, and with the San Diego Padres having home-field advantage in their NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs beginning Tuesday at Petco Park, it is time to take a closer look at who could play a role for the Friars in the playoffs in 2026. Manager Craig Stammen and president of baseball operations A.J. Preller will have some choices to make to construct the best roster for the three-game Wild Card Series. As for the basics, rosters are back down to 26 players from the 28-man group in September, and you still can’t have more than half of those be pitchers. But you can have more be hitters, which is usually the way teams go for at least the Wild Card Series due to that only going a maximum of three games. Rosters can only be modified during a series because of injury and can be altered between series however teams want. The official roster will be announced some time on Tuesday morning. Starting Pitchers (3) RH Michael King RH Nick Pivetta LH Robbie Ray Analysis: Let’s talk about the picks here before we talk about who isn’t included in this rotation. King has earned the right to be a Game 1 starter in the postseason—and it isn’t close. He had eight consecutive quality starts and 18 for the season before turning in a clunker in his last outing (which might be a good motivational factor). From a pitching perspective, the Padres will need an ace performance from King in a short series and whenever he pitches. The order of Pivetta and Ray could depend on the opponent. The Cubs hit left-handed starters and left-handers in general better than they do right-handers, which could put Ray in a more limited role, probably better-suited for Game 3 (or maybe even a bullpen role). Pivetta has come back from an early-season right elbow injury and has put together four solid starts. His third one—as well as the work he did in the other three—have shown enough to trust him to start a postseason game, but with a watchful eye. Pivetta started Game 1 of last year’s NL Wild Card Series vs. the Cubs and allowed two fifth-inning runs while striking out nine in a 3-1 loss. Ray, meanwhile, is pretty unflappable, which could make him a better choice for Game 3, knowing that the bullpen will be ready to be deployed at any moment. Walks are a killer at any time, which makes him a risky proposition during the postseason due to his propensity to issue free passes. Ray also has a shaky playoff history. He has made six postseason appearances, only two as a starter, with a 4.58 FIP (7.43 ERA) over just 13⅓ innings. He hasn’t pitched in a postseason since 2022. As for who isn’t in the Wild Card Series rotation: Right-hander Walker Buehler could also be an option to start Game 3, otherwise he will be in the bullpen. Relief Pitchers (9) RH Mason Miller LH Adrian Morejon RH Bradgley Rodriguez RH Jason Adam LH Yuki Matsui LH Wandy Peralta RH Walker Buehler RH Randy Vasquez RH Griffin Canning Analysis: There are no surprises here as I go with a nine-man bullpen and 12 on the staff for the Wild Card Series with an extra position player. As mentioned above, Buehler isn’t starting, but has the postseason pedigree for any situation. Buehler has made 10 relief appearances in his nine seasons, but eight of those came as a rookie in 2017 and another in 2018. The other came last year when he was with the Philadelphia Phillies. He and Vasquez can give you multiple innings, with the latter serving as a higher-upside weapon. Left-hander Kyle Hart would have been another good weapon, but he was optioned to the minors Saturday and, barring an injury, won’t be available for the first two postseason series. Matsui has worked his way into the circle of trust and could be an early option against probable NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong. He is best as an early- to middle-innings fireman, not for the late innings (unless it is extras). Adam’s return in the final week gives the Padres four end-of-game options to deploy based on matchups, allowing more flexibility with Rodriguez’s use. Miller and Morejon are the best right-left relief combo in the game and Rodriguez is quickly making that a three-headed monster. Miller going more than one inning could become the norm in the postseason. Catchers (3) RH Luis Campusano RH Freddy Fermin LH Ethan Salas Analysis: It is pretty clear from over the last week that Salas could catch a majority of the Padres’ postseason games. Campusano has been King’s personal catcher in the second half, so he is likely to start Game 1, with Salas a possibility as the designated hitter. Fermin is the defensive replacement for both. Salas, 20 years and 95 days old on Tuesday, will be the youngest player to play in a postseason game in MLB history when he does appear. He has shown the skill and mettle to be up to the challenge. Infielders (6) RH Manny Machado RH Xander Bogaerts LH Jake Cronenworth RH Ty France LH Gavin Sheets LH Sung-Mun Song Analysis: Sheets’ return from plantar fasciitis for the final regular-season series was encouraging and gives the Padres a left-handed bench bat when Salas isn’t in the lineup or as the DH. Song is here as a security blanket in case there is an in-game injury, with the ability to serve as a pinch-runner or late-game defensive replacement. Outfielders (5) RH Fernando Tatis Jr. LH Jackson Merrill LH Dustin Harris RH Samad Taylor RH Jase Bowen Analysis: Miguel Andujar, out since July 20 with a fractured right wrist, not being activated in the final week was surprising. Does he return for the Wild Card Series? He has been getting at-bats in the last week in Arizona, but if he was ready, he would have been activated by now after two weeks at Triple-A El Paso. Austin Hays could make the roster at the expense of Taylor, more likely, or Song. Bowen might make the roster as a specialty player, thanks to his ability to serve as a pinch-runner and defender. Taylor's hot bad should earn him a few trips to the plate at least in the Wild Card Round. View full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 4-2 Runs scored last week: 32 Runs allowed last week: 32 Season record: 91-71 Runs scored (season): 722 Runs allowed (season): 681 Season run differential: 41 Scores Monday: Off Game 157 (Tuesday): Dodgers 7, Padres 0 Game 158 (Wednesday): Padres 5, Dodgers 1 Game 159 (Thursday): Padres 4, Dodgers 2 Game 160 (Friday): Diamondbacks 11, Padres 4 Game 161 (Saturday): Padres10, Diamondbacks 7 Game 162 (Sunday): Padres 9, Diamondbacks 4 Week in Review and Highlights Dodgers series Game 1: On a day that began with their first chance to clinch a postseason berth to open the final week of the regular season, the Padres opened a series with their biggest rival and their best starting pitcher on the mound. It didn't go well, but also gave no reason for any panic. Right-hander Michael King's streak of quality starts came to an end when the Friars again struggled in a bullpen game from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 7-0 loss. The Padres dropped into a three-way tie with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies in the NL wild-card chase and kept their magic number for clinching a postseason spot at two. The Cubs lost 8-2 in 12 innings to the Miami Marlins, while the Phillies opened a tough finishing schedule with a 6-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Arizona Diamondbacks remained alive with a 7-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. Those results leave the Padres holding the third and final NL wild-card spot, with the Cubs at No. 1 and Phillies No. 2. Both hold the tiebreaker over the Friars. King, moved up a day in case the Padres need him to go in Sunday's regular-season finale, entered with eight consecutive quality starts and 18 for the season. After a 1-2-3 first inning, King retired the first two Dodgers in the bottom of the second. That is when things started to go wrong as he gave up back-to-back singles to Teoscar Hernandez and rookie Josue De Paula, then hit Andy Pages to load the bases. Then he lost his command and walked Tommy Edman and Mookie Betts to make it 2-0, with Freddie Freeman piling on by grounding a ball through an overshifted infield, bringing in two runs for a 4-0 Dodgers lead. For the first time since the end of June, King would not reach the fifth inning. He was pulled after four, having yielded five runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts. The Dodgers would add a run each against left-hander Wandy Peralta and right-hander Griffin Canning, who went two innings each. Offensively, the Padres didn't face a single pitcher twice. The Dodgers used eight pitchers, with each covering a single inning except for one who went two. The strategy worked fantastic from a Dodgers perspective as the Padres only got five hits, two from Luis Campusano and another from pinch-hitter Ethan Salas, while striking out 10 times. A disappointing showing for sure, but with the Friars having won 13 of their previous 14 games, another loss was coming. A clinch is still very much a possibility before the Padres leave L.A. Game 2: Think the Padres were panicking after losing for just the second time in 16 games the day before? Not at all. This team has shown a strong ability to bounce back from any bit of adversity since the end of July. Thanks to a Manny Machado homer and three RBIs and a strong overall pitching performance, the Padres dropped the rival Dodgers 5-1 to trim their magic number for clinching a postseason berth to one and reclaiming the No. 1 NL wild-card seed with four games left in the regular season. The Cubs and Phillies each lost, while the D'backs won to keep their season alive. The win also snapped the Dodgers' five-game winning streak vs. the Padres this year and L.A.'s 11 consecutive home wins. The Dodgers got a huge lineup boost with the return of four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani coming off the injured list, but the Friars were more than up to the challenge. That was thanks to Robbie Ray. The Padres' left-handed starter threw a lot of pitches (84) and gave up a lot of hits (seven) for 3⅓ innings. But he did just enough over the first three innings to keep the Dodgers off the board. Ray ran into trouble in the fourth by allowing three straight singles, including a routine grounder to first where Ray was late to cover, to open the inning, then got Max Muncy to fly out to shallow center. Manager Craig Stammen had seen enough and went to right-hander David Morgan. Edman got a sacrifice fly to trim the Friars' lead to 2-1, then Betts walked to reload the bases with two outs. That brought up Ohtani in a mismatch. But Morgan battled Ohtani for eight pitches, including Salas' ABS challenge that overturned ball four that would have brought in a run and a couple of 3-2 foul balls, before striking out the superstar swinging on a beautiful sinker. An offense that was blanked by eight relievers the day before was able to get to reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto. After getting just one hit off the Dodgers' right-hander through three innings, Dustin Harris was hit by a pitch (after a video review) to lead off the fourth. Machado then took a hanging sinker and drilled it 409 feet out to center field for a 2-0 lead, his team-leading 29th of the season and the 398th of his career. After the Dodgers got their lone run in the bottom of the fourth, the Padres got a couple more runs in the fifth. Salas and Tatis had leadoff singles. Harris then put down a sacrifice bunt that Yamamoto fielded and threw very wildly to third base, allowing Salas to score, Tatis to take third and Harris winding up at second. Machado followed with a sac fly to make it 4-1. There was a tack-on run in the ninth when Samad Taylor drew a one-out walk, then stole second and third. Freddy Fermin, who came in defensively for Salas, then delivered an RBI single. Morgan's performance kicked off a terrific game by the bullpen in what felt like a postseason formula. Left-hander Yuki Matsui went one inning, then right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez dominated for two innings, leaving left-hander Adrian Morejon and right-handed closer Mason Miller, in a non-save situation, to finish things off. Game 3: Merry Clinchmas, Padres fans! A day that less than three months ago seemed far-fetched came earlier than anyone could have imagined. The Padres clinched a place in the postseason for a franchise-record third straight season with a 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. While the clinching was the most important thing, the Padres also made headway in trying to secure the top NL wild-card seed with losses by the Cubs and Phillies. That gave the Friars the No. 1 wild card, one game ahead of the Cubs and two up on the Phillies. The D'backs remained alive with a win and are two games behind the Phillies as they come to Petco Park this weekend. The victory, much like the season thus far, had its obstacles that the Friars overcome without hesitation. Salas, the youngest player in the majors at 20 years old, played another big role in this one as he got back-to-back starts behind the plate for the first time. The Padres didn't have a hit off Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow through 5⅓ innings. But Salas attacked the first pitch from Glasnow and singled through the infield to left to end the no-hit bid. Tatis tattooed the next pitch for a single to right, sending Salas to third. One pitch later, Harris hit a sacrifice fly to center to easily score Salas for a 1-0 lead. In the seventh, the Padres built a cushion. Merrill had a one-out double and Bogaerts walked, chasing Glasnow. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski came in and yielded a single to Austin Hays that deflected off Muncy at third, scoring Merrill. Sung-Mun Song pinch-ran for Hays and went to second when Salas delivered again, lining an RBI single to left-center to plate Bogaerts. Tatis followed by drilling an opposite-field single that Song scored just ahead of the throw, making it 4-0. On the pitching side, right-handed starter Nick Pivetta turned in a postseason-worthy start in its quality. While going 4⅔ innings, Pivetta didn't allow a run and struck out seven, giving up four hits and a walk. Stammen then maneuvered the game like it was in the postseason, getting shutout innings from Matsui and right-hander Jason Adam, a day after he came off the 60-day injured list following a strained right shoulder. Morejon came in to get Ohtani for the final out of the seventh. He stayed in for the eighth and walked Betts and gave up a Freeman single to begin the inning. A strikeout of Hernandez and flyout by Kyle Tucker gave Morejon a chance to get out of the inning unscathed, but he was called for a balk that brought in a run, then retired the next batter. That left the ninth to Miller to punch the Padres' ticket. It wasn't easy, though. After a strikeout and a flyout, Miller struck out Edman swinging on a wicked slider in the dirt that went under Salas' glove and back to the screen. Ohtani then crushed a 102.6 mph four-seamer from Miller into the left-center gap to make it 4-2. But Betts then grounded to Machado at third for the final out. It wasn't a triple play to clinch it like Machado started two years ago to the day, but the celebration was about to begin. A team that was struggling to find an identity following the All-Star break, relied on a pitching-chaos plan for 10 days before the trade deadline, got reinforcements and then started hitting the ball consistently took off and won 14 of their last 16 to clinch a wild-card spot on their biggest rival's field with new owners Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones on hand and joining the festivities in the clubhouse. Diamondbacks series Game 1: On a day in which so much other stuff fell the Padres' way to the point where a home playoff series now feels like a formality, the Friars couldn't match the effort of a motivated Arizona Diamondbacks team. Perhaps that was due to an ailing Casey Mize. The right-handed starter was lit up again, giving up seven runs over four innings in an 11-4 Padres loss to the D'backs. Before the Padres' game began, the Cubs had lost both games of a doubleheader, which suddenly put the Padres on the verge of bringing the NL Wild Card Series to Petco Park. The Phillies added to the good fortune by also losing, officially putting the Padres one win away from that happening. Despite losing to the D'backs, the Padres have a 1½-game lead over the Cubs and two-game edge over the Phillies with two games remaining. The big story is with Mize. The right-hander hasn't performed up to expectations since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers for two key prospects. Since stumbling down the dugout steps Aug. 22 vs. the Minnesota Twins, he allowed 28 runs (23 earned) over 26⅔ innings. There had been rumblings that Mize was dealing with something and he admitted after Friday's game that the ankle was still bothering him and affecting his mechanics. Mize already was in jeopardy of not being on the roster for the Wild Card Series, with this making that more of a probability, giving him time off to get the ankle right and becoming available if the Padres advance. Following the champagne celebration the night before, the offense didn't show any true signs of a hangover, pounding out 10 hits after not reaching double digits once against the Dodgers, but the timing of the hits could have been a bit better. Tatis led off the bottom of the first with one of his two hits, Cronenworth had an RBI single as part of a two-run second, then drove in another run in the seventh and Song adding a run-scoring single in the eighth. It was, for the first time since April, that the Padres didn't have any real pressure on them. And with the D'backs playing for their postseason lives, you can just chalk it up to one of those games. One, well, two other highlights was Jase Bowen robbing homers in consecutive innings after replacing Merrill in center with the game out of hand. Game 2: In the early stages of this one, it seemed like the Padres might be in for another tough day. But a Machado go-ahead homer and the bullpen stepping up yet again provided the impetus for a 10-7 triumph that gave the Padres home-field advantage for the NL Wild Card Series. For the Friars, the standings no longer matter, even if it is only for one more day. They clinched the No. 1 NL wild card and will face the Cubs in the Wild Card Series at Petco Park beginning Tuesday. The D'backs, meanwhile, remained alive heading into Game 162 as the Phillies also lost (12-1 to the Tampa Bay Rays), keeping Philadelphia's edge at one game with Arizona holding the tiebreaker. The Padres had early leads of 1-0 and 3-2 erased, with the latter going away with a two-run top of the fourth. (Of note, Gavin Sheets, activated before the game, had an RBI double in the third inning.) With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Salas hit a single that deflected behind the pitcher and Tatis walked. After Harris failed to execute a bunt, Machado went oppo taco by launching his 30th homer of the season and 399th of his career to right, a three-run shot that made it 6-4, putting the Padres ahead to stay. The high-flying offense tacked on in the fifth as Bogaerts homered for just the second time since Aug. 14, a solo shot for his 13th this year, and Tatis drove in Merrill, who had doubled, with a groundout. In the sixth, two more runs came across on Cronenworth's two-run single with two outs. From a pitching perspective, right-handed starter Walker Buehler had a downer, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts and a two-run homer to James McCann. Buehler is probably lined up for a bullpen role against the Cubs, although he could possibly start a Game 3. Matsui got Buehler out of a fourth-inning situation, Rodriguez sizzled for two innings, Morgan and Morejon pitched scoreless innings, leaving the ninth to Miller with a six-run lead. With the postseason starting Tuesday, this was likely a scheduled appearance by Miller regardless of the score to get him into a final game. It did not go as scripted. The superstar closer had his worst statistical game with the Padres, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out a pair. Should that be cause for concern? Not really as the adrenaline probably wasn't pumping like it would be in a save situation. Game 3: While the Padres were in coasting mode for Game 162 of the season, it meant life or death to the D'backs. But ultimately, the Padres' potent offense wore down the beleaguered D'backs, registering a 9-4 victory to wrap up the regular season. The D'backs' fate was sealed during the seventh inning as the Phillies prevailed over the Rays 7-3, securing the last NL wild-card berth and a Wild Card Series matchup with Atlanta. The Padres finished with a 91-71 record, two games ahead of the Cubs in the wild-card race and nine games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. It was another day of double-digit hits with 11, getting 10 or more for the 12th time in their last 16 games. Harris, France, Hays and Fermin each had two hits, while Sheets showed he is ready for the postseason with a solo homer, his 17th of the season. Right-hander Randy Vasquez displayed his value with a six-inning start, allowing a run on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Canning went the final three innings, giving up a three-run seventh inning to temporarily tie the game. It was a good tuneup game for the Padres, who continue their quest for the franchise's first World Series championship against the Cubs. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 5-2, 1.67 ERA, 66 games, 38 saves (41 chances), 70 IP, 37 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 3 HR, 2 HBP, 26 BB, 129 K, .152 opponent average The three runs he allowed Saturday vs. the D'backs were the most he has allowed in 90 appearances since being acquired by the Padres. Set career highs this season with 66 appearances and 70 innings pitched. Also established career bests with 38 saves, 129 strikeouts, five victories and a 1.67 ERA. His 38 saves tied for the NL lead with Riley O'Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals and third in MLB. Led all MLB relievers with 518 pitches at 100 mph or better. That is more than any other team's bullpen. Teammate Adrian Morejon was fourth with 216. Random Stats This will be the Padres' 10th postseason appearance, including five in the last seven seasons and franchise-record third straight. The Padres have won 90 games for the seventh time in franchise history, including the last three in a row. Craig Stammen is the first manager in Padres history to win 90 games in his first season as manager. Jake Cronenworth was named the NL Player of the Week for the second time in his career (June 2021 also). He slashed .464/.516/.786, which included a two-homer, five-RBI game. He scored eight runs and drove in eight. Rookie Ethan Salas was 3-for-3 in ABS challenges in Wednesday's game. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s three-hit game Wednesday vs. the Dodgers was his MLB-leading 17th three-hit game. The Padres drew 44,471 fans to their regular-season finale, the 66th sellout at Petco Park. The Friars finished with a season attendance of 3,347,081, the second-highest in MLB, an average of 41,322. Transactions Wednesday: Activated RHP Jason Adam from the 60-day injured list. Wednesday: Optioned RHP Griffin Canning to ACL Padres. Wednesday: Designated RHP Alek Jacob for assignment. Saturday: Placed RHP Casey Mize on the 15-day injured list due to a right ankle sprain. Saturday: Activated 1B Gavin Sheets from the 10-day injured list. Saturday: Recalled RHP Griffin Canning from ACL Padres. Saturday: Optioned LHP Kyle Hart to ACL Padres. Saturday: Sent RHP Alek Jacob outright to ACL Padres. Website Highlights Breaking down the offensive turnaround that saved the Padres' season — Randy Holt Three burning questions for the Padres entering the postseason — Yirsandy Rodriguez Padres can't afford Stammen's questionable pitching management to haunt them in the postseason — Steve Drumwright Why Padres' third straight postseason appearance is their most impressive yet — Randy Holt Tatis shouldn't be overlooked in NL MVP conversation — Randy Holt Cronenworth has galvanized Padres' playoff push with sudden revival — Randy Holt Padres have an obvious strategy to make Ray an effective playoff starter — Sam Caulder Padres are the team no one wants to face in the postseason — Steve Drumwright Padres affiliate season recap: Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas — Steve Drumwright Padres affiliate season recap: Double-A San Antonio Missions — Steve Drumwright Padres affiliate season recap: High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps — Steve Drumwright Looking Ahead Monday: Off Tuesday: NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Cubs (TBA) at Padres (Michael King), 7 p.m. (Peacock) Wednesday: NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Cubs at Padres, 7 p.m. (Peacock) Thursday: NL Wild Card Series Game 3 (if necessary): Cubs at Padres, TBA Friday: Off Saturday: NLDS Game 1: TBD at Milwaukee Sunday: NLDS Game 2: TBD at Milwaukee View full article

The unthinkable has become a reality. The San Diego Padres will be hosting the first round of the MLB postseason at Petco Park. That came to fruition as the Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-7 Saturday, clinching the No. 1 NL wild card. The Padres, who wrapped up a playoff berth Thursday vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, will face the Chicago Cubs in the best-of-three NL Wild Card Series, which will be Tuesday, Wednesday and, if necessary, Thursday at Petco Park. The winner of the Padres-Cubs series will face the Milwaukee Brewers, who have the best record in MLB at 102-59. The Padres and Cubs met in last's NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field, with Chicago winning in three games. The D'backs will still have something to play for Sunday as they are one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the final NL wild-card spot, with Arizona holding the tiebreaker. Whichever team gets that spot will face NL East champion Atlanta in the other NL Wild Card Series. View full rumor

Following his latest struggles and postgame admission, the San Diego Padres are giving Casey Mize some time to get right. The right-handed starter was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a sprained right ankle. In a big piece of good news, first baseman Gavin Sheets was activated off the 10-day IL and right-hander Griffin Canning was called up from the Arizona Complex League. Also, left-hander Kyle Hart was optioned to the ACL. Meanwhile, right-hander Alek Jacob, who was designated for assignment three days ago, cleared waivers and was outrighted to the ACL. Mize gave up seven runs in four innings during Friday's 11-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He originally injured the ankle as he returned to the Padres' dugout after the second inning of his Aug. 22 start vs. the Minnesota Twins. He stumbled down the dugout stairs, but came out for the third inning, lasting only two more outs. Since then, Mize has surrendered 28 runs (23 earned) over 26⅔ innings. He said after Friday's game that the right ankle was still sore and affecting his mechanics. Mize, who has a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts since being acquired from the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 3, will be ineligible for the NL Wild Card Series and, if the Padres advance, the NL Division Series. Sheets is back after dealing with plantar fasciitis. He is hitting fifth for Saturday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He went on the 10-day IL on Aug. 30, but has been working out recently at the Padres' complex in Peoria, Ariz. He is likely to have a bench role during the initial stages of the postseason. He has a .211/.313/.388 slash line with 16 homers and 46 RBIs in 123 games. Canning, who has been effective out of the bullpen, had been optioned to the ACL two days ago and was able to come back up so quickly due to Mize going on the IL. Hart's move is likely just to give him rest before the postseason. The Padres can clinch the No. 1 NL wild-card seed with a win in either of their last two games. View full rumor

Players always say that the game speeds up on them when the MLB postseason rolls around. Now imagine what it does for managers, who have to be looking three steps ahead, whether it is regarding the bullpen, a pinch-hitter, a pinch-runner or some other situation where a split-second decision can make the difference in winning or losing a playoff game. In other words, where is your trust level for first-year manager Craig Stammen as he prepares to take the San Diego Padres into the postseason? There is reason to be a little wary of Stammen and his decision-making entering the biggest games of the season. And it all has to do with how he handles pitchers. All you have to do is look back a couple weeks ago when the Friars hosted the Washington Nationals on Sept. 9. Veteran right-handed starter Walker Buehler had given up a leadoff homer and a bases-loaded RBI single to trail 2-0 in the top of the third inning. After getting a pop-out for the first out, Stammen walked out with the intention of removing Buehler. As he continued his path to the mound, he changed his mind. But Buehler's fate was already sealed. Pitching coach Ruben Niebla had already made a trip out to counsel Buehler. Stammen chatted with Buehler, who was miffed that the manager was out there in the first place, then walked to the back of the mound as Stammen headed back to the dugout. That is when the umpires stepped in and, since it was the second mound visit, required a new pitcher be brought into the game. Now, it all worked out for Stammen and the Padres that day. The bullpen allowed just one hit and no runs over the final 5⅔ innings in what would be a 9-2 victory over the Nationals, the fifth straight win in what would be an eight-game winning streak. Stammen fessed up in his postgame press conference to forgetting Niebla's visit. Perhaps he knew before he went out to make the change, but it escaped him as he went over that choice as he approached Buehler on the mound. That is also the reason why Niebla didn't stop Stammen. The decision had been made. It can be brushed off considering the result, but it also has to raise the concern level for Stammen's split-second decision-making as big moments approach in a postseason game. There have been other moments during the season where Stammen has discussed his thought process behind a pitching decision where he leaned toward trusting a pitcher when the better move was to bring in another arm. That's very understandable considering Stammen was a reliever during his career; as a pitcher, you always want to be trusted to do the job in a certain situation. Perhaps the only times that Stammen hasn't hesitated was when the decision involved superstar closer Mason Miller. When in doubt, even with trusted left-hander Adrian Morejon on the mound, Stammen will go to Miller to secure the victory. Now, that can be the right move at any opportunity in the postseason, but it can lead to overuse in the regular season of certain relievers, while not allowing other relievers to build confidence in those situations. Now, the Padres are making a third straight trip to the postseason, the first time that has happened in the franchise's 58 seasons, eyeing a third consecutive 90-win season after having just four previously. Stammen deserves credit for getting the Friars this far. But Morejon, right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez, and Miller have pitched in the most games of any Padres reliever. Morejon has blown past his previous career high for innings and Miller just recently did, while Rodriguez is in his first full MLB season. Now, those three will be shouldering the load, especially if this team advances deep into October. Stammen's choice in Sept. 19 game vs. the Miami Marlins for Miller to come in for a five-out save after Morejon had issued back-to-back walks in the eighth inning was surprising. Miller got out of the jam with runners on the corners by striking out the first two batters he faced. But in the ninth, the closer missed his spot on a 1-0 four-seamer to Griffin Conine, with the Marlins pinch-hitter taking him deep and tying the game. This was the Ethan Salas walk-off game, so again, it worked out. Would the eighth and ninth have gone differently if Morejon had faced another batter or two in the eighth and Miller began the ninth? We will never know. But the extra work that Miller has had to put in—willingly put in, too—could come back to haunt Stammen and the Padres in the postseason. Stammen will rightfully go to Miller early in a postseason game (two innings max). You just hope that his previous workload doesn't diminish what he can do in these important games. View full article

If you are looking for good news about the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, it's admittedly tough to come by. At least they weren’t the worst Triple-A team this season. The Chihuahuas had a full-season record of 60-90, which was the worst mark in the Pacific Coast League. That was only a notch better than the Norfolk Tides, a Baltimore Orioles affiliate that went 58-89 in the International League. Yes, it was a trying season for the Chihuahuas, the San Diego Padres’ top affiliate. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some fun performances to keep track of individually, though. Of the players who finished the season on the roster, first baseman-corner infielder Nick Solak led the Chihuahuas in RBIs with 80 while posting a .311/.376/.487 slash line with 16 homers. Outfielder Carlos Rodriguez was a hit machine, leading the team with 148 of them while posting a slash line of .308/.375/.416 with 77 RBIs and 55 walks, both second on the team. Rodriguez had a team-high and career-best 22-game hitting streak this season. Second baseman Marcos Castanon paced the Chihuahuas with 17 homers while recording a .282/.336/.445 slash line and shortstop Mason McCoy had a career-high 40 stolen bases and team-best 57 walks while putting up a slash line of .285/.361/.406. They were some of the reasons why the Chihuahuas finished sixth in the Pacific Coast League in OPS (.793), fifth in runs and sixth in homers. As you can see, offense wasn’t the problem. Pitching, on the other hand, was an issue, and you can chalk that up in part to the elevation El Paso plays at. The 3,700 feet isn’t as bad as Denver’s Coors Field, but is also slightly worse than Las Vegas’ Triple-A stadium. The Chihuahuas had the worst ERA in the PCL at 6.28 and gave up the second-most homers and the third-most walks while striking out the fewest amount of hitters. Opponents batted .290, which was the second-worst mark in the PCL. Right-hander Evan Fitterer was the best of the Chihuahuas’ starters, posting a 4.06 ERA in 28 games, including a team-high 20 starts. Left-hander JP Sears also made 20 starts in his 23 appearances and had a 7.49 ERA. Left-hander Jackson Wolf, before he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in the Casey Mize deal, had a 7.05 ERA in his 24 games (17 starts). You get the point. There were some good relief performances that you can’t see through the final stats due to blow-up games. Right-handers Ethan Routzahn, Logan Gillaspie and Sean Boyle are counted among them, with Boyle also making 16 starts and leading the team in wins with 10. With all the runners on base, the Chihuahuas did lead the minors in one positive category: They turned 154 double plays. In another season highlight, Ethan Salas, Padres Mission’s No. 1 prospect, came up from Double-A San Antonio and continued to rake. The 20-year-old catcher slashed .326/.410/.539 with three homers and 24 RBIs in 24 games before getting promoted on Sept. 1 for his MLB debut. The Chihuahuas, with a roster filled mainly with minor-league free agents and players looking to get back to the majors, did have a couple of other good stories. Two other catchers, Rodolfo Duran and Blake Hunt, each got called up to make their MLB debuts and, at one point, were the only two catchers on the Padres’ roster. El Paso was also part of the journeys for outfielders Samad Taylor, Jase Bowen and Luis Rengifo en route to their surprising roles in San Diego this year. El Paso Chihuahuas Stat Leaders League: Pacific Coast League East Division First half: 35-40, third place, 10 GB, minus-23 run differential Second half: 25-50, fifth place, 23 GB, minus-120 run differential Hitting leaders (20 games minimum) Average: Dustin Harris .350, Ethan Salas .326, Nick Solak .311 Slugging percentage: Harris .617, Blake Hunt .617, Jase Bowen .600 OPS: Harris 1.039, Hunt .998, Bowen .962 Runs: Mason McCoy 94, Nick Solak 89, Marcos Castanon 71 HRs: Castanon 17, Solak 16, Bowen 13 RBIs: Solak 80, Carlos Rodriguez 77, Castanon 72 Pitching leaders (10 games minimum) ERA: Hunter Stratton 1.93, Jhony Brito 2.78, Evan Fitterer 4.06 Strikeouts: Sean Boyle 97, Jackson Wolf 90, JP Sears 87 WHIP: Brito 1.26, Eli Villalobos 1.28, Stratton 1.29 Opponent average: Garrett Hawkins .205, Andrew Moore .222, Stratton .235 Wins: Boyle 10, Logan Gillaspie 6, Alek Jacob 6 Saves: Jacob 9, Ethan Routzahn 7, David Morgan 4 View full article

For most of the season, the main attraction for the Double-A San Antonio Missions was Ethan Salas. And rightfully so. Padres Mission’s No. 1 prospect put everything together after a lost 2025 due to injury and used it as a springboard to eventually make his MLB debut as a Sept. 1 promotion. Starting the season at 19 years old, Salas put up a .286/.361/.417 slash line with seven homers, 37 RBIs and 14 steals in 72 games. While there were other key prospects on the Missions at the beginning of the season and then later on, the results were poor. The Missions finished last in the Texas League’s South Division in each half and had a minus-166 run differential, which was 59 runs more than the next-worst team. As you might expect, a league-worst number of runs scored, reaching 600 on the final day of the season and one of only two teams not to score at least 700, and allowing the fourth-most runs was not a good combination. Many of the offensive leaders played fewer than 40 games at Double-A. But there were bright spots. Right fielder Braedon Karpathios emerged as a legit prospect, tying for the club lead with 17 homers and having a team-best 73 RBIs while slashing .268/.353/.444, before getting a late-season promotion to Triple-A El Paso. Kai Roberts, the Padres’ seventh-round pick in 2024, was a force on the bases, stealing 43 bags, including a Texas League-record 28 consecutive to begin the season. The center fielder slashed .200/.296/.282 in 110 games. Tirso Ornelas, who began spring training on the Padres’ 40-man roster, finished third in the league with 33 doubles. On the pitching side of things, three arms stabilized the rotation. Those would be left-hander Jagger Haynes (Padres Mission’s No. 13 prospect) and right-handers Ian Koenig and Eric Yost (Padres Mission’s No. 16 prospect). Koenig led the staff in starts (24) and innings (121⅓) and was second in strikeouts (98). Yost led with 101 K’s in 106⅔ innings. Right-handers Josh Mallitz and Francis Pena were also good out of the bullpen. Right-hander Andrew Moore was also a big part of the relief corps before going up to Triple-A El Paso and then being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for right-hander Hunter Stratton. San Antonio Missions 2026 Stat Leaders League: Texas League South Division First half: 31-38, fifth place, 8½ GB, minus-72 run differential Second half: 28-41, fifth place, 13 GB, minus-94 run differential Hitting leaders (20 games minimum) Average: Leandro Cedeno .315, Alex McCoy .314, Jake Cunningham .301 Slugging percentage: Cedeno .528, McCoy .467, Cunningham .459 OPS: Cedeno .949, Romeo Sanabria .831, Cunningham .829 Runs: Braedon Karpathios 62, Tirso Ornelas 58, Ryan Jackson 52 HRs: Karpathios 17, Ornelas 17, Albert Fabian 12 RBIs: Karpathios 73, Fabian 54, Ornelas 54 Pitching leaders (10 games minimum) ERA: Andrew Moore 1.85, Tucker Musgrove 2.93, Francis Pena 3.05 Strikeouts: Eric Yost 101, Ian Koenig 98, Jagger Haynes 85 WHIP: Omar Cruz 1.08, Josh Mallitz 1.18, Haynes 1.27 Opponent average: Moore .117, Musgrove .157, Igor Gil .178 Wins: Yost 7, Sadrac Franco 6, Koenig 5, Mallitz 5 Saves: Mallitz 6, Johan Moreno 4, Franco 3, Pena 3 View full article

With the postseason right around the corner, the San Diego Padres are getting one of their top bullpen arms back. Right-handed reliever Jason Adam was activated off the 60-day injured list Wednesday by the Padres, who optioned right-hander Griffin Canning to the minors. Another right-handed reliever, Alek Jacob, was designated for assignment to make room for Adam on the 40-man roster. The Padres entered Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers tied with the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies for the NL's three wild-card spots. The Padres lose tiebreakers to both teams, meaning they need to finish ahead of one or both in order to claim anything other than the NL's No. 6 seed. Adam was the Padres' top setup man when he went on the 15-day injured list on July 2 with a strained right shoulder. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 3 as a procedural move to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. He made three rehab appearances with Triple-A El Paso last week, one that went well and two others that didn't from a statistical point of view. But stats don't matter much in rehab assignments for the player in question, who is looking to find his form to return to the major-league roster. In the second two, Adam allowed nine runs and recorded just one out. The first one was a perfect inning. Canning has been a solid contributor since being moved to the bullpen. The run he allowed Tuesday in a 7-0 loss to the Dodgers is the only one given up in his last nine outings covering 14⅔ innings. Jacob had three stints with the Padres this year when he wasn't at Triple-A El Paso. In each one, he made just one appearance, pitching a total of five innings and giving up three runs for a 5.40 ERA (5.10 FIP). With this being Jacob's first DFA, the Padres can simply outright him to Triple-A if no other team claims him off waivers. View full rumor

Despite a decent array of prospects that suited up for the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps this season, the talent didn’t translate into a lot of wins. The TinCaps finished with the worst record in the Midwest League’s six-team East Division at 56-74, with a fifth-place finish in the first half at 27-39, 12 games out, and fourth in the second half at 29-35, 9½ back. They scored the fewest runs in the league by far, 72 behind the 11th-place team, and allowed the second-most runs. Still, there were some exciting players to watch throughout the season. They ranged from the fantastic start to the season of left-handed starter Kash Mayfield, who didn’t allow a run in his first three starts and six of his first eight, to the emergence of outfielder Alex McCoy (Padres Mission's No. 8 prospect, to the three-homer game by Jake Cunningham and the first-half performance of right-handed closer Clay Edmondson, who was named a Midwest League All-Star and still finished second in the league in saves with 11 following a midseason promotion to Double-A San Antonio. The second half saw an influx of talent from the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm, who won the first-half championship in the California League’s South Division. But not even the additions of hitters like outfielder Ryan Wideman (Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect), third baseman Kerrington Cross and first baseman Luke Cantwell as well as right-handed starter Winyer Chourio (Padres Mission's No. 17 prospect)—as some TinCaps also moved up to Double-A San Antonio—could improve the situation. But that is part of the learning curve of the minors. The players who came up were in their first full season in the pros and even the slight increase in competition is something they needed to adjust to. Mayfield represented the San Diego Padres in the Futures Game and then was traded to the Detroit Tigers in the Casey Mize deal. One positive for the TinCaps was how the fans turned out. The team had 11 sellout crowds, including four of more than 8,000, and averaged 4,936, which was third in the Midwest League. In addition to some talented players, TinCaps fans saw plenty of drama as the team had 31 comeback wins and seven walk-offs. Chief among those was a Fourth of July classic against the Great Lakes Loons that went 14 innings, won by the TinCaps 13-12 on a Kasen Wells single to finish off a 4-hour, 48-minute marathon. TinCaps Stat Leaders League: Midwest League East Division First half: 27-39, fifth place, 12 GB, minus-145 run differential Second half: 29-35, fourth place, 9½ GB, minus-87 run differential Hitting leaders (20 games minimum) Average: Jake Cunningham .279, Alex McCoy .268, Justin DeCriscio .259 Slugging percentage: Cunningham .560, Kavares Tears .471, McCoy .468 OPS: Cunningham .929, McCoy .822, Tears .797 Runs: Kasen Wells 62, McCoy 60, Rosman Verdugo 53 HRs: Cunningham 15, McCoy 15, Verdugo 15 RBIs: Verdugo 59, McCoy 55, Costello 51 Pitching leaders (10 games minimum) ERA: Clay Edmondson 1.67, Ryan Och 1.69, Kash Mayfield 3.54 Strikeouts: Abraham Parra 82, Carson Montgomery 80, Braian Salazar 67 WHIP: Edmondson 0.96, Mayfield 1.16, Och 1.31 Opponent average: Edmondson .134, Och .167, Will Koger .202 Wins: Parra 5, Winyer Chourio 4, Kleiber Olmedo 4, Will Varmette 4 Saves: Edmondson 11, Varmette 4, Clark Candiotti 2, Tucker Musgrove 2, C.J. Widger 2 View full article

Momentum is usually beneficial in the MLB postseason. Teams that make late runs to get into the dance tend to have a little success, if not make a bit of a run toward a World Series. Since the playoffs expanded to 12 teams (six in each league) in 2022, there has twice been a bottom-two seed make the World Series (Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers) and a third make a League Championship Series (New York Mets) in the first three years of the format. Only last year did that not happen, when the top two seeds in each league made the respective LCS. The pushes by the Phillies, Rangers and Mets can be, at least in part, attributed to having to finish the regular season with playoff-level games. Can the San Diego Padres be that team this year? Most definitely. In fact, the Padres are not just used to playing with a bit of pressure in September, but the Friars have done it over an extended period of time this season. After a terrific April, horrid performances in May and June left the Padres with a 48-48 record at the All-Star break. The talk at the break was whether a Friars team that had inspired no confidence in the moment could make a run to allow president of baseball operations A.J. Preller to work his trade-deadline magic. They went 2-5 immediately out of the break, falling a season-worst three games below .500, but then kicked it into high gear. As a nice bookend to this weekend's sweep of the Miami Marlins, the Padres' push began with a three-game sweep in Miami. Since July 24, the Friars are 37-16, a .698 winning clip, the best record in MLB, one game better than the Tampa Bay Rays, the presumptive No. 1 seed in the AL. That has put the Padres in a very good position entering the final week of the regular season. Currently with a magic number of two to clinch a place in the postseason, the Padres are tied for the top spot in the NL Wild Card race with the Chicago Cubs, one game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies, who are the likely No. 3 seed due to having a four-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final wild card with six games remaining. However, the Padres have reached another gear in the last two weeks, winning 13 of 14 games, which included matching their season high with an eight-game winning streak. That has been fueled by an offense that has reached double digits in hits in 10 of 11 games entering the three-game series that begins Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. As a team, the Friars have slashed .330/.383/.570 while smashing 20 homers and are averaging 7.3 runs per game. Now, they are allowing 4.5 runs per game, which can't happen in the postseason. And don't expect the Padres to have a .952 OPS as a team once October rolls around. The potential is there for that, though. Throughout the second half, the Padres have brushed off the pressure and performed. It hasn't been as conventional as you would like, but it has worked for them. In the postseason, power and pitching are king. Fernando Tatis Jr. has overcome not hitting a homer in the Padres' first 57 games to hitting 25 over the next 100, just three behind Manny Machado for the team lead. Tatis also has a .285/.355/.468 slash line with 81 RBIs, which is third on the team. While he won't win the award, Tatis will earn down-ballot NL MVP votes due to a .955 OPS in the second half, which is second in MLB to likely MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs. Jackson Merrill is tied for the second-most RBIs in MLB since the break with 48 while posting a .311/.345/.591 slash line in that same period. Machado still runs into homers on a frequent basis and, along with Tatis, is the player the Padres would most like to see come up in a big situation. Don't forget about Ty France, who might be the team MVP with a career-high 21 homers to go along with 70 RBIs while playing in 127 games. There are other complementary players who have produced at various times throughout the season. Samad Taylor, Dustin Harris and Xander Bogaerts (while technically a core player, he hasn't produced at that level this year) have all had big moments, and there's a lot of reason to believe Ethan Salas and Luis Campusano have some of their own in store. As for the pitching part of the postseason formula, we all know that the Friars' bullpen has three of the best back-end arms and could get another one back any day. Mason Miller, the Padres' lone All-Star, has had a few bumps in the second half, but has a career-high 37 saves. Left-hander Adrian Morejon has elevated his profile this season and forms an amazing 1-2 punch. Right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez, in his first full MLB season, has worked his way into a leverage role, while right-hander Jason Adam could return during the Dodgers series as he comes back from a strained right shoulder. After that, you have a mix of arms that can handle any other early-game situation. In the rotation, right-hander Michael King is the Padres' No. 1, having turned in eight consecutive quality starts and 18 this season. Left-hander Robbie Ray has the profile of a playoff pitcher, able to deal with the pressure of any circumstance, and would start Game 2 or 3. For an NL Wild Card Series, you can piece together a Game 3 featuring some combination of right-handers Nick Pivetta, Walker Buehler or Casey Mize, with right-hander Randy Vasquez able to step in quickly and provide a few innings. It is also possible that Mize doesn't make the postseason roster. That depth, thanks to Preller's acquisition of Ray and Mize at the deadline, is much better than the chaos plan the Padres were employing in late July. For those reasons—the dynamic offense, a terrific bullpen and one top-flight starter—the Padres are a team that will be a threat against any team they face in the postseason. Thanks to certain developments over the weekend, the Padres could have a better shot at winning the No. 1 Wild Card. The Cubs lost star third baseman Alex Bregman for an indefinite period of time when he got drilled by a foul ball while waiting to bat. His left eye is swollen shut, leaving the Cubs without a key bat and a team leader. The Cubs have a home series vs. the Marlins and a road series against the Boston Red Sox left, while the Phillies are home vs. the Milwaukee Brewers and the Rays, the top teams in each league. Yes, the Padres have the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers on the road before finishing at Petco Park against the Diamondbacks, who could very well be eliminated before that series begins. The Dodgers are in fine-tuning mode after already clinching the NL West and a virtual lock to be the No. 2 NL seed. The rivalry between the Friars and Dodgers will certainly have the attention of L.A. if it can foil the Padres. If the Padres get one of the top two NL Wild Cards and win the opening postseason series, they would be paired against the Dodgers in the NL Division Series. However, with the way the Friars are playing right now, following the pressure to perform since the All-Star break, with the players who are stepping up, the Padres are the most dangerous team entering the MLB postseason. View full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 6-1 Runs scored last week: 51 Runs allowed last week: 32 (season run differential: plus-41) Scores Game 150 (Monday): Padres 8, Rockies 7 Game 151 (Tuesday): Rockies 9, Padres 3 Game 152 (Wednesday): Padres 9, Rockies 3 Game 153 (Thursday): Padres 9, Rockies 2 Game 154 (Friday): Padres 8, Marlins 2 Game 155 (Saturday): Padres 7, Marlins 6 (10) Game 156 (Sunday): Padres 7, Marlins 3 Week in Review and Highlights Rockies series Game 1: A game that felt like it was under control until it wasn't—it was Coors Field, after all—came out the way they needed it to. Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. homered, right-handed starter Casey Mize turned in five solid innings and Mason Miller was needed to close out a game the Padres led 6-1 early, pulling out an 8-7 victory. Ty France, who returned from the paternity list after the birth of twin daughters, and Jackson Merrill each had three hits as the Padres won their eighth straight. The Friars remained 2½ games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the battle for the No. 3 NL wild card. It was nearly 3½ if not for a D'backs walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins. The victory, their 82nd this year, also assured the Padres of a club-record fifth straight winning record. Machado set the tone with his solo homer in the top of the first, his 28th of the season and 397th of his career. It jumped to 5-1 in the second as Jake Cronenworth and Freddy Fermin drove in runs, then Tatis hit a 449-foot rocket for his 22nd homer of the season. Merrill made it 6-1 with an RBI single in the third. Mize made it through five innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two runs, also beginning a weird stat line for Padres pitchers by not striking anyone out. That trend would last until the ninth, when Miller punched out a pair. Things took a turn for the Padres when left-hander Kyle Hart coughed up three runs while getting just one out in the sixth, then right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez allowed a solo homer in 1⅔ innings. Left-hander Adrian Morejon, who had appeared in seven of the previous nine games, gave up a run in the eighth as the Padres' lead was trimmed to 8-7. While the Padres added on later, they could have done more, which is tough to say when they scored eight runs. France lined an opposite-field single to right to bring in put the Padres up 7-5, while the unheralded Dustin Harris laced an RBI double that hopped off the wall in right for an 8-6 lead in the eighth. After Morejon gave up the run, Miller, pitching for the sixth time in 10 games, nailed down his 37th save, allowing a one-out single. The final out came on a nice play by Machado, ranged way to his left to field a chopper and fired a bullet to first to just get the out. Game 2: When it comes to losses at this stage of a playoff race, timing is the key thing. If you are going to lose, you hope the teams you are leading or pursuing lose, too. With the Padres watching their eight-game winning streak come to an end with a 9-3 loss to the Rockies, they didn't gain or lose ground as all three teams still in the NL wild-card race lost, most notably the D'backs, who dropped a 4-2 decision to the Marlins in 11 innings. So the Friars remain 2½ games ahead of the D'backs for the No. 3 NL wild card, one game behind the Phillies for the No. 2 spot and 1½ behind the Cubs for the No. 1 position, which comes with home-field advantage for the Wild Card Series. This game turned in the sixth inning in which the Padres had a 3-2 lead entering and a 7-3 deficit exiting. Right-handed starter Walker Buehler had battled through 4⅔ innings, throwing 92 pitches. Left-hander Wandy Peralta took over and got the final out of the fifth, but couldn't get through the sixth. Peralta gave up a triple, a double and a single to the first three hitters that brought in two runs. After a strikeout, another single led to Perlata being replaced by right-hander Randy Vasquez. A flyout to right set the stage to get out of the inning. But Vasquez, in his third relief appearance since being removed from the rotation, lost a 13-pitch battle with former San Diego State star Cole Carrigg, who drilled a three-run homer to put the Padres down 7-3. Vasquez would give up another pair of runs in the seventh and finished the eighth. Offensively, it wasn't a great night despite getting 11 hits. Tatis opened the game with a second-pitch homer, a 455-foot blast to left for his 23rd of the season. Luis Campusano went deep for the eighth time this year in the second inning and Austin Hays also homered, his second with the Padres and third of the season, in the fifth. All came against Rockies right-hander Kyle Freeland, who just came off his third stint on the injured list this season and entered the game with a 6.37 ERA. This was his first start in nearly a month and kept the Padres off the board other than the three solo homers. Right-hander Ryan Feltner, typically a starter, piggybacked Freeland and, with his 5.88 ERA coming into the game, held the Friars scoreless for the final five innings. Missed opportunity to gain ground? Sure. But also they didn't lose any ground, only their second eight-game winning streak of the season. Game 3: The Ethan Salas game. Sure, it was against the NL-worst Rockies and it happened at Coors Field. But the 20-year-old catcher, who entered the game with one hit in 15 plate appearances, cranked out two homers and accounted for three RBIs in the Padres' 9-3 victory. With the D'backs dropping their second straight, the Padres increased their lead over Arizona to 3½ games with 10 games left to play for the final NL wild card, while remaining one behind the Phillies and 1½ behind the Cubs for the top two wild-card positions. The biggest advantage the Friars have over the D'backs is they are four up in the loss column. While the postseason scenario is of the utmost importance, the attention deservedly belongs on Salas in this game. He went deep for the first time in his 2½-week career when he ambushed a first-pitch 93.2 mph four-seamer from right-hander Mason Adams and drilled 426 feet out to center for a 3-1 Padres lead. Salas then helped trigger a four-run fifth inning when he launched a 96.2 mph fastball on an 0-1 count from right-hander Nick Frasso the snuck over the right-field wall, a 372-foot shot. That was a two-run shot that made it 8-1. At 20 years, 107 days, Salas is the youngest catcher in MLB history to hit two homers in a game and the youngest Padre in history to do so. The big game can only boost the confidence of Salas as he continues to get his feet wet in the majors, but also with the postseason approaching. Padres left-handed starter Robbie Ray turned in a typical Robbie Ray performance, which was encouraging with one start and possibly two left in the regular season. Ray went six innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts. He did give up a sixth-inning solo homer. There was offense that came from sources other than Salas. Merrill continued his hot hitting with three singles, France doubled and drove in a pair of runs, Harris had two hits, including a triple, while driving in a run and scoring another and Samad Taylor had two singles, two RBIs and two runs scored. The margin of victory also allowed Morejon and Miller to rest for a second straight day. Game 4: Completing a seven-game road trip against teams they should beat, the Padres erupted for seven runs in the second innings, including a homer and triple by Bogaerts, to dispatch the Rockies 9-2. That gave the Padres three out of four in the series and a 6-1 road trip. It also gave the Friars, winners of 10 of their last 11, a comfortable four-game lead over the D'backs for the last NL wild-card berth and within one game of the Cubs and Phillies for the top two spots. The Padres' magic number for clinching is at six. While the offense was again a big star, let's not overlook what the pitching did. Right-handed starter Michael King continued his impressive second half with his eighth straight quality start and 18th of the season, spinning six innings and allowing just two runs, while scattering seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts. With the offense piling up runs behind him for one of the rare occasions, Matsui pitched a perfect seventh, striking out two, and right-hander Griffin Canning made his first appearance since Sept. 9, allowing two runs in two scoreless innings. Bogaerts came up a single shy of the cycle despite having two chances to get the fourth one in Padres history and the first in his career. It also would have been a reverse cycle as Bogaerts started his day by leading off the second inning with a homer, his 12th of the season, then capped the seven-run outburst with a two-run triple. Merrill also tripled in the second. Harris had three hits, three RBIs and a run scored, while France had three hits, Taylor had two hits, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored and Cronenworth two hits and two runs scored. Marlins series Game 1: Another day of big offensive production and another nice step forward by right-handed starter Nick Pivetta put the Padres in a position you couldn't have fathomed a little more than two months ago. With France using his newfound dad strength after the birth of twins last week to power a six-run fifth inning, the Padres stomped the Marlins 8-2 to create a three-way tie atop the NL wild-card standings. Their third straight win and 11th in 12 games have pulled the Friars even with the Cubs and Phillies with eight games remaining. The only bad news in that scenario is the Padres lose the tiebreaker to both as a result of losing the season series to each. That still would leave them in the No. 3 NL wild-card spot, which they now lead the D'back by five games after Arizona lost, reducing the Padres' magic number to four. That is certainly enough to be excited about. But Pivetta's performance is also worth praise. In his third start—and next-to-last before the postseason—since coming back from his right elbow injury sidelined him for five months, Pivetta looked sharper, allowing four hits and a solo homer over five innings, walking one and striking out four. That is the type of outing that you would take in the postseason. It was a day to mostly rest the three key arms in the bullpen. Morejon made an appearance to face a left-handed batter in the seventh inning and he struck him out. Otherwise, Peralta, right-hander David Morgan and Canning did the job out of the bullpen. Down 1-0, the Friars would score all the runs they would need in the fifth. Bogaerts had a leadoff double, Cronenworth singled and, after a pitching change, Taylor's safety squeeze ended up a base hit to load the bases. After Salas flew out to shallow center, Tatis singled home the first run and Harris had a go-ahead two-run single that caromed off the mound and bounced into center. Machado lined out, then France smashed his 21st homer, a three-run shot, into the second deck of the Western Metal Supply Co. building. That homer established a new career high for France. Merrill tacked on his 26th homer of the year, a solo shot, in a two-run eighth. Game 2: The kid rescued the closer. An inning after Miller gave up a stunning game-tying homer, Salas added another first to his scrapbook by grounding a single up the middle with one out in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Padres a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Marlins. With the Phillies losing and the Cubs winning, the Padres took possession of the No. 2 wild-card spot, one game ahead of Philadelphia. The Padres and Cubs are tied, but Chicago won the season series. The D'backs are four games behind the Phillies after walking off the New York Yankees. It was a strange game from the start. Mize didn't have command of his pitches, walking five and allowing five hits en route to five runs over three innings. But the bullpen settled things down, with Vasquez, Rodriguez and Matsui keeping the Marlins quiet. Morejon came in to get the final out of the seventh to get out of a first-and-third jam, protecting a 6-5 lead. He came back out for the eighth and struck out the first batter before a walk, two stolen bases and another walk put runners on the corners. Manager Craig Stammen went to his closer for a five-out save. Miller struck out the two batters in the eighth on nine pitches. In the ninth, Miller struck out the leadoff hitter on six pitches, then faced pinch-hitter Griffin Conine. The left-handed hitter took a slider for a first-pitch ball, then turned on a 102.1 mph four-seamer that was poorly located and drilled it into the right-field bleachers. Tie game, third blown save for Miller in 40 chances. It was the third homer given up by Miller this season, all in his nine appearances since Aug. 25. With Mize's rough start, the Padres faced 3-0 and 5-1 deficits in the early going. A three-run bottom of the third featured a bases-loaded walk to Cronenworth, a balk and Taylor's sacrifice fly. Tatis' second-half power surge continued as he blasted No. 24 in the fourth inning to tie the game 5-5, then Harris and France and sixth-inning doubles to take the lead. The 10th inning began with Cronenworth as the zombie runner and he took third on a wild pitch. Sung-Mun Song struck out to begin the frame, then Stammen put the 20-year-old Salas in to pinch-hit for Fermin. After getting into an 0-2 hole against right-hander Josh Ekness, Salas grounded a 98.7 mph four-seamer up the middle with the infield drawn in for his first walk-off of his 19-day-old MLB career. Salas is the fourth-youngest player to have a pinch-hit walk-off hit since RBIs became a stat in 1920. Game 3: Beware of the Crone Zone. On a day in which there was no movement among the current three NL wild-card teams, Cronenworth sparked the offense with two homers and five RBIs and Buehler carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh inning in a 7-3 victory over the Marlins, their 13th win in 14 games. In completing a three-game sweep and the six-game season series over the Marlins, the Padres reduced their magic number for clinching a postseason spot to two (combination of Friars wins and D'backs losses). This would be the third straight year, a club record, the Padres would qualify for the playoffs. The Cubs and Phillies each won, keeping the Friars tied with Chicago atop the NL wild-card standings (remember, Cubs hold the tiebreaker) and one game ahead of Philadelphia. Buehler made a huge statement in his bid to make a start in the NL Wild Card Series. He had not gotten an out in the seventh inning this year, then got two vs. the Marlins and was nearly through the frame when Javier Sanoa got a hold of a high cutter and drilled it for a three-run homer. Hart finished the seventh, then Rodriguez had a scoreless eighth. Miller, despite it not being a save situation and coming off a five-out, 26-pitch performance the day before, tossed a perfect ninth on just seven pitches. Cronenworth got the offense started with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second, then had back-to-back RBI doubles with Taylor in the fourth for a 4-0 lead. The homer off Buehler pulled the Marlins within 4-3 in the top of the seventh, Tatis homered in back-to-back games for the second time this week, hitting solo shot for his 25th of the season. It nearly stayed that way in the eighth, but Bogaerts drew a two-out walk and Cronenworth went deep for just the seventh time this year to make it 7-3. Cronenworth finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs and three runs scored. Taylor also had three hits as the Padres reached double digits in hits for the seventh straight time and 10th in 11 games. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 5-2, 1.21 ERA, 63 games, 37 saves (40 chances), 67 IP, 33 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 23 BB, 123 K, .144 opponent average His 37 saves rank second in the NL and fourth in MLB. Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays leads MLB with 40 saves. Sunday marked the 50th of 87 victories he has finished this year. Of his 63 games, has not allowed a run in 53 of those. Random Stats Before this streak of five, the Padres had four consecutive winning seasons twice: 1982-85 and 2004-07. Fernando Tatis Jr.'s leadoff homer Tuesday was his fifth of 450 feet or greater this season, the most in MLB. The Padres' 52 hits vs. the Rockies were the most by any MLB team in any series this year. They were also the most by the Friars in a series since 2022 vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Padres did what they should do against the two worst teams in the division this season. They went 11-2 vs. the Rockies and 9-4 vs. the Giants. Xander Bogaerts' homer in the Rockies finale was the sixth consecutive game the Padres homered on the first pitch of an at-bat. The seven runs scored in the second inning vs. the Rockies was the most in a single inning by the Padres this year. The Padres completed their 11th sweep by taking the three games vs. the Marlins. Aside from their 18-win April, September is on the verge of being the Padres' second-best month. They are 13-4 this month, matching the second-most wins of any other month (May and July, neither of which was a winning record). Transactions Monday: Activated 1B Ty France from the paternity list. Monday: Optioned 2B Mason McCoy to Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. Website Highlights Can Padres say Machado's power-heavy season has been a success? — Randy Holt Padres' Vasquez is back on the upswing at the perfect time — Yirsandy Rodriguez Does Salas' two-homer game alter Padres' postseason plans at catcher? — Steve Drumwright Padres' incessant tinkering with Mize must have an endgame before playoffs — Yirsandy Rodriguez Harris is helping keep the Padres' bench afloat — Randy Holt Campusano's September slump has put Padres in precarious position — Randy Holt Affiliate season recap: Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm — Steve Drumwright Looking Ahead Monday: Off Tuesday: Padres (Michael King) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto), 7:10 p.m. Wednesday: Padres (Robbie Ray) at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. Thursday: Padres (Nick Pivetta) at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m. Friday: Diamondbacks (Casey Mize) at Padres, 6:40 p.m. Saturday: Diamondbacks (Walker Buehler) at Padres, 5:40 p.m. Sunday: Diamondbacks (Michael King) at Padres, 12:10 p.m. View full article