The San Diego Padres secured the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the National League Wild Card Series, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-7 at Petco Park. Manny Machado hit his 30th home run of the season, locking in a best-of-three playoff rematch against the fifth-seeded Chicago Cubs.
San Diego earned the right to host every game of the opening playoff round after a dramatic 10-7 victory over the Diamondbacks. The win capped a remarkable late-season charge that saw the Padres go on a 17-4 run after sitting a half-game out of the final playoff spot in early September. Rookie manager Craig Stammen guided the club to a 90-71 record, securing the franchise’s third straight 90-win season and third consecutive postseason berth.
Manny Machado Ties Franchise Record With 30th Homer
The turning point arrived in the fourth inning when Manny Machado drove a 1-1 pitch from Jose Cabrera into the right-field corner for a three-run blast, erasing a 4-3 deficit and putting the Padres ahead for good at 6-4. Xander Bogaerts added a solo home run in the fifth inning, and Jake Cronenworth padded the lead with a two-run single in the sixth.
Machado’s milestone shot marked the eighth 30-homer season of his career and his fourth in San Diego uniform, tying Adrián González for the most 30-homer campaigns in club history. It was also the 399th home run of his major league career.
The victory also featured a milestone for the dugout, as Stammen became the first rookie manager in Padres history to win 90 games. The team capitalized on a sellout crowd of fans waving gold rally towels inside a packed Petco Park.
Cubs Playoff Rematch Set at Petco Park
The playoff pairing replicates last year’s opening round, but with a crucial venue flip. The Chicago Cubs secured the No. 5 seed after dropping two games in a doubleheader against the Red Sox and watching the Padres lock up the top wild card. Last postseason, the Cubs used home-field advantage at Wrigley Field to eliminate San Diego 2-1 in a decisive Game 3.
This time, the Padres will enjoy the comforts of home. San Diego finished the regular season with 50 victories at Petco Park, making them one of only five major league teams to reach the 50-win mark at home.
While the Cubs dominated the head-to-head regular season series by winning five of six matchups—including an 23-3 rout featuring three home runs by Dansby Swanson—the Padres entered the final stretch as one of baseball’s hottest teams.
Rotation Questions and Wild Card Schedule
As the club prepares for Tuesday’s Game 1, pitching decisions remain in motion. Walker Buehler made his final regular-season start on Saturday, allowing four runs over 3 2/3 innings, though he expressed confidence in his readiness.
“I’m not super concerned about it. If you don’t throw strikes, you can’t win games, and I’ve always thrown strikes. I didn’t tonight.”
Game 1 of the best-of-three series gets underway on Tuesday at Petco Park.
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