With a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night, the San Diego Padres moved a little bit closer to achieving their first goal of the season.
Their magic number to clinch a spot in the postseason is down to four thanks to a Milwaukee Brewers loss.
San Diego currently holds the second Wild Card spot in the National League, leading the third Wild Card occupants, the Philadelphia Phillies, by 2.5 games.
If the Padres can get it done, it will be their first postseason berth in a full season since all the way back in 2006.
That year, they lost the NLDS to the eventual World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.
4: The San Diego #Padres’ magic number to clinch their first postseason berth in a full season since 2006.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 28, 2022
Padres Closing In On Playoff Berth
San Diego of course reached the postseason in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, where they knocked out the Cards in the Wild Card round and then were swept by the Dodgers.
This time, they’re just four wins shy of 90 for the season and can make up for last season’s epic collapse.
The Padres went from holding a commanding lead over the Cardinals in the Wild Card race before going on a slide and finishing 79-83.
But the Padres are getting closer to putting all of that in the rearview mirror and being able to celebrate a postseason berth.
If the postseason began today, the Padres would match up with either the New York Mets or the Atlanta Braves in the best-of-three Wild Card Series, depending on who falls short in the NL East.
The pieces are finally coming together in San Diego.
The additions of Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Josh Hader, and Brandon Drury have them pointed towards the postseason.
Now, San Diego is a legitimate threat to win their first ever World Series title.
NEXT: Juan Soto Is Doing 1 Thing Well Amid His Struggles
