The San Diego Padres entered September competing with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third and final NL Wild Card spot. Fast forward to the last week of the regular season, and they are the hottest team in baseball, having won 13 of their last 14 games. Their recent surge has flipped the script in the NL Wild Card race, and the possibilities have stunned the analysts.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“The National League, the thing that’s mind-boggling to me, the Padres. The Padres came out of nowhere. They were like, are they going to make the postseason? Now they’re the second wild card; they passed the Phillies,” said AJ Pierzynski on Foul Territory.
“Will the Padres be able to hold on to that second wild card? Heck, they’re only a game behind the Cubs. They might be the first wild card and host the playoffs.”
Sunday was an eventful one for the NL Wild Card contenders.
The Padres brought their magic number down to two after beating the Miami Marlins 7-3. San Diego kept it simple with a pair of two-run home runs by Jake Cronenworth. He also drove in a run in the fourth inning. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s solo homer helped maintain the lead.
“We’re looking forward to winning ballgames,” Tatis Jr. said on Sunday, per MLB.com.
“There’s still a lot in play. Even when we clinch, we’re trying to get a series over here in the playoffs. Still a lot in play. We still have homework to do.”
The Padres pitching staff silenced the Marlins for most of the game, except in the seventh inning.
Javier Sanoja launched a three-run homer for the visiting team. It was their only scoring play.
The Cubs also recorded a win over the Cincinnati Reds, keeping pace with the Padres. Holding an 87-69 record, both clubs are tied for the top NL Wild Card spot.
With Monday off, the Padres can clinch as soon as Tuesday, when they face the Los Angeles Dodgers. A win in the series opener and the D-backs losing to the Colorado Rockies will seal a postseason berth for San Diego.
The Philadelphia Phillies are a game behind the Cubs and the Padres. But the surge looks nothing less than a movie.
Late in July, they were three games under .500 and four games out of the playoffs, while fans and analysts asked the GM A.J. Preller to sell the team. In fact, just two weeks ago, San Diego was 5.5 games back of the Cubs and five behind the Phillies. And now, they are looking to make history.
A postseason berth means a third straight year of playing in October. They have never reached the playoffs in such a consecutive manner in franchise history.
The Padres will definitely aim for the top Wild Card spot to get home-field advantage in the contest. However, if they end up tied with the Cubs, Chicago will have the advantage of having won the season series.
Overall, it’s going to be a high-stakes series against the NL West champions and division rivals, the Dodgers. And they are planning.
Padres moved Michael King up
Ahead of their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, manager Craig Stammen announced a major change in their rotation.
They are moving Michael King’s scheduled start a day. The Padres will have one of their best starters face the NL West champions during the series opener at Dodger Stadium.
“Michael King will move up a day to start Tuesday’s opener against the Dodgers, Craig Stammen says. Would line King up to start the regular season finale, in the event that game is decisive. (If not, he would presumably start Game 1 of a Wild Card Series),” reported AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
The new schedule helps Padres utilize King in clutch games.
If their postseason is not confirmed by September 27, King could start the season finale. On the contrary, if the Padres are already in the playoffs, Stammen could give him a rest day and have him pitch in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, which San Diego may host.
Across 31 games this season, Michael King holds a 12-9 record with a 3.03 ERA in 181 innings pitched.
But the Padres’ last-minute surge did remind us of one 2011 team.
The St. Louis Cardinals.
Trailing the Atlanta Braves by 10.5 games on August 25 in the Wild Card race, caught fire down the stretch with a 23-9 record and eventually won the 7-game World Series against the Texas Rangers.
Looking at that, October definitely looks bright and beautiful in San Diego.