SAN DIEGO -- Chances are, the Padres will don their goggles, pop their champagne and celebrate a clinch at some point in the next few days. They’ve built themselves enough of a cushion -- having posted the best record in baseball since the All-Star break -- that the odds of anything else are minuscule.
But if they’re going to clinch, they’d love to do it at Petco Park. And after Friday’s results, that suddenly feels like an attainable goal.
Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered his second walk-off hit of the month -- a 10th-inning double to the right-center-field gap -- as the Padres opened their final home series of the regular season with a 3-2 victory over the White Sox. The fact that it came after the Braves and Mets losses only made it sweeter.
“Now we want it more than ever,” Tatis said. “We’re pushing no matter what. We know the numbers.”
San Diego can secure its place in the postseason as soon as Sunday -- with two more victories over the MLB-worst White Sox and any two total losses by the Braves and/or Mets. (For clarity’s sake, the Padres could also clinch with a split against the White Sox this weekend if the Braves and Mets were to each lose twice.)
In any case, the Padres have turned their focus beyond simply getting in. They trail the Dodgers by four games in the National League West. But they’ve already locked up the head-to-head tiebreaker and will play three games at Dodger Stadium beginning Tuesday. The Padres want to ensure that those games will decide the division title.
“If we want to get to where we ultimately want to get, which is taking that top spot from the Dodgers, we’ve got to win every game,” said Joe Musgrove. “So I think that’s our main focus. Whatever else will fall how it may.”
Musgrove struck out nine over six scoreless innings as he continued his dominant run after returning from an elbow injury in early August. He gave up six runs in an inning against the Giants 12 days ago -- and has still posted a 2.05 ERA since his return. For the first time this year, his season ERA dipped below 4.
Musgrove, despite early struggles and injuries, seems like a lock for a potential Wild Card Series rotation -- though that rotation is currently overflowing with options. Since Musgrove was hit hard by San Francisco, Padres starters have combined to post a 0.99 ERA across nine outings in their last two turns through.
“It’s the right time for everybody to start clicking,” Musgrove said.
The same could be said for almost the entire Padres roster right now. Almost. If there’s one question mark, it’s in the closer spot. All-Star Robert Suarez endured three blown saves across the season's first five months. He’s now had three in his past six outings after surrendering Lenyn Sosa’s game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth inning on Friday night.
“I feel good,” Suarez said through interpreter Danny Sanchez. “I’ve been able to maintain my velocity, so on the mound, I feel good. At the end of the day, he hit the pitch out. But we won the game, so that’s all that matters.”
Still, Suarez’s recent performance raises serious questions about whether the Padres will move forward with him in the closer role, particularly considering the plethora of high-leverage options available. Since arriving in late July, Deadline acquisitions Tanner Scott and Jason Adam have been excellent for the Padres.
“There will be a consideration -- we have three good guys at the back,” said manager Mike Shildt. “We’ll continue to take a look at it. … My concern with Robert is not very high.”
The Padres’ swift response to Suarez’s blown save symbolized their season. They could’ve won it in the ninth, but Luis Arraez’s laser down the first-base line landed in the glove of Gavin Sheets, who stepped on the bag for a double-play, stranding the winning run at third base.
In the 10th, Tyler Wade, who had entered the game as a pinch-runner, made a pair of slick plays at second base -- including a throw to the plate to nail the would-be go-ahead run.
That set the stage for Tatis. Until Sept. 5 against the Tigers -- his second game back after 2 1/2 months on the sideline with a leg injury -- Tatis had never recorded a walk-off.
He now has two.