MLBSep 25
Padres turn summer struggles into historic playoff return
San Diego clinched its third consecutive postseason berth with a win at Dodger Stadium and remains in position to host the wild-card round.
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A surge worth celebrating
The Padres completed their turnaround Thursday, beating the Dodgers 4-2 to secure a third straight playoff appearance for the first time in franchise history. San Diego had been struggling at 50-53, with concerns across its rotation, lineup and bullpen. Winning 39 of the next 56 games changed the outlook, culminating in a champagne celebration inside the visiting clubhouse at Dodger Stadium. A major league-best 16-5 September record has driven the latest push. Rotation additions Robbie Ray and Casey Mize helped stabilize the pitching staff, while Fernando Tatis Jr. And Jackson Merrill powered an offensive revival. That improvement also gave a bullpen led by Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon more opportunities to protect leads.
Salas delivers in clincher
Ethan Salas played a central role in the victory over Los Angeles. The 20-year-old catcher worked with Nick Pivetta and four relievers as San Diego limited the Dodgers to two runs across nine innings. Salas also ended Tyler Glasnow's no-hit bid with an opposite-field single in the sixth, then singled home San Diego's third run in the seventh. His contributions strengthened his case for a place on the postseason roster. The broader lineup has made substantial progress as well. Since August began, the Padres have produced the sport's second-highest OPS and third-most runs per game.
Home-field opportunity remains
San Diego leads the National League wild-card standings by one game over the Cubs and two over the Phillies, although both challengers own the tiebreaker. The Padres close the regular season at home against the Diamondbacks, with hosting rights still at stake. Their 26-8 record at Petco Park since July began makes that pursuit particularly meaningful. Michael King will bypass Sunday's regular-season finale and instead start Game 1 of the wild-card series Tuesday.
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