The Padres long shot playoff chances are still not over.
The San Diego Padres were close to being officially eliminated from MLB playoff contention on Wednesday night in San Francisco, but a 5-2 win against the Giants at Oracle Park kept the Padres alive. A loss to the Giants would have ended any chance for the Padres to make the playoffs.
The Padres rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to win the game and preserve their playoff hopes.
By scoring 3 runs in the 10th inning, the Padres won their first extra-inning game this season. Previously, they were 0-12 in extra-inning games, tying the 1969 Montreal Expos for all-time worst mark in extra-inning games in a single season.
With a 79-80 record heading into this weekend’s 3-game series against the Chicago White Sox, it’s mathematically possible for the Padres to catch any of the 3 teams ahead of them (Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs) vying for the National League wildcard spots.
The Padres entered the season coming off an appearance in the National League Championship series, with a payroll around $253 million, one of the highest in all of baseball, and lot’s of talk about winning the World Series for the first time in franchise history.
However, the Padres struggled to find consistency all season long and never really threatened in the National League West or the wildcard race. The last time the Padres were 500 this season was May 11th, when the team was 19-19. The only months this season the Padres played over 500 baseball were September, April and July.
The franchise faces an uncertain off-season, as decisions are looming about the future of manager Bob Melvin and President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller. Both Melvin and Preller have additional years on their contracts, but this underachieving season, filled with internal conflicts, could lead to one or both being dismissed.
The Padres franchise is still seeking its first World Series championship, and last played in the World Series in 1998.