With the MLB regular season winding down, the postseason bracket is starting to take shape. Among the teams fighting to make it are the San Diego Padres, who currently sit in the final playoff spot.
If San Diego manages to secure a wild card spot, they should be considered a dangerous team capable of making the World Series. There are more dominant teams in the National League, like the Braves, Brewers, and Dodgers, that will win their divisions. The Padres, though, have been one of the best squads since the All-Star break at 24-14. That, along with the talent on the roster, makes them capable of being dominant in October.
Lineup Playing At Their Best
What makes the Padres a scary postseason opponent is that their lineup has become potent down the stretch. Fernando Tatis Jr. (21 home runs, 32 stolen bases) is the offense’s catalyst, able to create runs with his power and speed.
Jackson Merrill (25 home runs, 26 stolen bases) is equally dynamic and able to generate offense in multiple ways. Veteran Manny Machado (26 home runs, 80 RBIs) still produces in the middle of the lineup.
San Diego has also gotten strong contributions from Ty France and Luis Campusano to help lengthen the batting order. The lineup showed its dangerous potential when it went back-to-back-to-back against Gerrit Cole.
The Padres have legit power hitters, but can beat teams by stringing together hits or stealing bases. In a playoff series, facing the multi-faceted offense led by their stars is a dangerous proposition for opponents.
The San Diego Padres Have A Strong Bullpen Led By Closer Mason Miller
Teams having success in the postseason come from having dominant pitching, either from starters or relievers. A weak bullpen can end a team’s season, but San Diego has a relief corps that is among the best in the sport and would be capable of shortening games to get to their lockdown closer.
Adrian Morejon (11.1 K/9, 2.38 FIP) and Bradgely Rodriguez (10 K/9, 2.27 FIP) are a dangerous back-end duo that excels in high-leverage situations with swing-and-miss stuff. Jason Adam is an experienced reliever working his way back from injury. Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui are left-handed options that can get righties out as well.
Miller has been the most imposing reliever in all of MLB (16.6 K/9, .86 WHIP, 1.03 FIP) and will get any hitter out. This puts tremendous pressure on the opposing offense to score off of the Friars’ starting pitching, given the depth of arms they have to protect a lead.
Dark Horse World Series Contender If They Punch Their Ticket To The Playoffs
San Diego has the ingredients of a nightmare matchup in postseason play. The offense is capable of exploding, led by its stars who have had playoff success, and they possess a deep bullpen that can shut down lineups late in games.
The Padres have struggled overall to beat the best teams in the NL, but have played better recently against them down the stretch. They have won the season series against Atlanta and Milwaukee and have played the Dodgers tough in previous playoff series. It shows they are capable of playing up to the competition.
They still have business to take care of in these last weeks of the regular season to play in October (Fangraphs gives the Padres about a 57 percent chance to win a wild-card spot). If they can hold off the division rival Arizona Diamondbacks, teams shouldn’t overlook the Padres as they make a serious run to the World Series.
