Now even with Cubs, Phillies for top WC spot, Padres take aim at home playoff series
SAN DIEGO -- Before Dustin Harris’ go-ahead single bounced off the mound and into center field, sparking Petco Park to life … before Ty France launched a towering three-run homer to the Western Metal Building and watched it fly as the ballpark erupted around him … before Jackson Merrill added
Everything you need to know about the Padres' playoff push
This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
'I wanted it bad': Bogaerts narrowly misses cycle on historic day
DENVER -- Xander Bogaerts got the hardest parts out of the way early. He homered to lead off the second inning on Thursday afternoon, then, after the Padres batted around, he tripled to cap a seven-run rally. In the fourth, he laced a double that one-hopped the left-center-field wall at
'We took care of business': Padres head home sitting pretty in NL Wild Card race
DENVER -- With their 9-2 demolition of the Rockies on Thursday afternoon, the Padres increased their lead in the National League Wild Card race to four games over the Diamondbacks. The Padres have won 10 of 11 and went 6-1 on their road trip through San Francisco and Colorado. In
Salas' big night helps Padres stretch lead over D-backs in playoff race
DENVER -- It’s one thing to make baseball history. It’s another to do it with your team locked in the middle of a tight playoff race.
Salas youngest catcher in MLB history to hit 2 HRs in a game -- and they were his 1st!
DENVER -- The Padres made Ethan Salas the youngest catcher in the big leagues in 35 years, because they figured he could help them in their postseason push.
Streak snaps at 8 as Padres miss golden opportunity to climb Wild Card ladder
DENVER -- The Padres saw their eight-game winning streak snapped with a 9-3 loss to the Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field.
Padres win 8th straight, maintain lead over Arizona in Wild Card chase
DENVER -- The Padres have matched a season high with eight straight victories, and, ultimately, that’s the important part. Wins are wins. At this point in the season, the Padres will take them however they can get them. On Monday, they jumped out to an early five-run lead, then held
Padres' relentless offense survives tense finish for 5th straight win
The Padres maintained their half-game edge in the National League Wild Card race, beating the Giants, 7-5, on Friday night at Oracle Park.
20 quick thoughts on the Padres' playoff push
This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Stammen, Buehler's mound negotiation leads to awkward early exit in third
SAN DIEGO -- When Padres manager Craig Stammen emerged from the dugout in the top of the third inning on Wednesday afternoon, he had his mind made up. He was going to his bullpen. This game -- in the context of the National League Wild Card race -- was too
Merrill's massive showing has Padres flying with Wild Card race tightening
SAN DIEGO -- It was 95 degrees at first pitch on Wednesday afternoon, marking the hottest game in Petco Park history. The Padres are red-hot, too. They completed a sweep of the Nationals with a 9-2 victory on a scorching Wednesday afternoon in downtown San Diego -- and finished their
Padres' 4-run 8th inning delivers crucial comeback
SAN DIEGO -- It’s that time of year. Sometime around the sixth inning on Tuesday night, the scoreboard at Petco Park flashed a new final: The Diamondbacks had won in Kansas City. The Padres, at the time, were trailing by three runs.
An extra postseason round? Padres-D-backs series could decide final Wild Card spot
This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Pivetta to make long-awaited return from IL (elbow) Monday
SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have spent the past few months wondering what kind of impact a healthy Nick Pivetta could make on a pennant race. At long last, they’re going to find out. In a surprise announcement following Sunday’s game against the Yankees, Padres manager Craig Stammen named Pivetta
Padres hit back-to-back-to-back HRs to start game for 2nd time in franchise history
SAN DIEGO -- Nearly 40 years ago, the Padres became the first team in Major League history to begin a game by hitting three consecutive home runs. In the four decades since Marvell Wynne, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk all took San Francisco’s Roger Mason deep on April 13, 1987,
Bats jump on Cole, King deals as Padres takes series from Yanks
SAN DIEGO -- The Padres kept pace in the National League Wild Card race with a 4-3 victory over the Yankees on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park.
Machado clubs 25th HR, but Padres leapfrogged in WC race following loss to Yankees
SAN DIEGO -- Back and forth they go in the National League Wild Card race. The Padres pulled off perhaps their most dramatic win of the year on Friday -- but followed it with a dud of a 5-1 loss to the Yankees on Saturday night. That allowed the Diamondbacks,
Campusano's walk-off HR vs. Yanks caps feat not seen since 1961
SAN DIEGO -- The Padres hope there are more Luis Campusano moments to come. Maybe a couple more swings like this one in October. Maybe another few big-time throws as the lights grow even brighter down the stretch. Still, a night like this one served as justification for all of
Key takeaways: Padres 3, Yankees 2
SAN DIEGO -- Luis Campusano did it all on Friday night, throwing out three attempted basestealers before launching a walk-off two-run homer that set the Padres to a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Yankees in 10 innings. Campusano turned on a first-pitch fastball from Yankees right-hander Paul Blackburn and launched
'Running out of answers,' frustrated Musgrove still hoping to return -- in any role
SAN DIEGO -- If Joe Musgrove returns to the Padres this season, it now seems likely that he would not do so as a traditional starting pitcher. Musgrove is in the midst of another setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. With time running out on the season, he
Why the time was right for Salas' callup
This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Musgrove's return pushed back again due to right arm soreness
CINCINNATI -- Joe Musgrove is so close -- so agonizingly close. But it appears his return to a big league mound will be delayed further, after the Padres right-hander experienced further arm soreness following his most recent rehab start.
Padres eager to lock in for home stretch after disappointing road trip
CINCINNATI -- On one hand, the Padres finished their road trip squarely in the playoff picture, tied for the final Wild Card spot in the National League. On the other hand … what a glorious opportunity missed to build a cushion in that race. San Diego capped a 1-5 trip
Morejon's rare misstep, missed opportunities spoil Tatis' 2-homer game
CINCINNATI -- For two months, Adrian Morejon has been lights out in his setup role for the Padres. He endured a rare rough outing on Tuesday night in Cincinnati -- and it proved costly. The Reds scored two runs against Morejon in the eighth -- as many as he’d allowed