San Diego Padres’ Stunning 9th-Inning Walk-Off Ignites Playoff Push—Watch the Highlights

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres are barreling into September with the type of drama Petco Park hasn’t seen in years. After Los Angeles’ 8-2 win on Sunday, the Padres and Dodgers are deadlocked atop the National League West, with L.A. holding the head-to-head tiebreaker after taking the season series 9-4. That razor-thin margin has supercharged every pitch of the final 31-game sprint. Manager Mike Shildt called it “a five-week playoff,” and his players agree. Fernando Tatis Jr. vowed, “We definitely want the division. We’re going for it,” while veteran slugger Manny Machado reminded teammates that San Diego hasn’t hung a division banner since 2006. A softer schedule gives the Padres hope. Based on opponents’ winning percentage, San Diego owns the easiest remaining slate in MLB, with only nine games left against teams currently above .500. By contrast, Los Angeles must still navigate two series with the playoff-bound Braves and a three-game set in Milwaukee. KEY DEADLINE ADDITIONS PAYING OFF General manager A.J. Preller’s aggressive deadline looks smarter by the day. Designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn, stunned to be dealt west after expecting destinations like Boston or Houston, has mashed .319 with an .894 OPS since arriving. Fellow newcomer Ramón Laureano has stabilized right field defense while posting a .371 OBP in August. ROTATION ROLLING The rotation—long considered San Diego’s Achilles’ heel—has quietly delivered eight quality starts in the past 11 games. Nick Pivetta, acquired from Boston in December, tossed six strong innings Sunday before Freddie Freeman’s tying homer. With Joe Musgrove inching toward an early-September return from a strained forearm and Nestor Cortes sporting a 2.57 ERA since the break, Shildt suddenly has four reliable arms for an October series. BULLPEN QUESTION MARKS The lone concern is late-inning execution. Closer Robert Suárez owns a 3.98 ERA since July 1, and setup man Jeremiah Estrada surrendered Dalton Rushing’s decisive three-run shot Sunday. Look for lefty Adrian Morejón to see more high-leverage work, especially against division rivals heavy on left-handed thunder. OFFENSE FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS Tatis, Machado, and Xander Bogaerts form the league’s highest-scoring top three since July 4. Add O’Hearn’s left-handed thump and a resurgent Luis Campusano (.302, 11 HR), and the Padres have climbed to second in the NL in runs per game after the All-Star break. WHY THE DIVISION MATTERS Under MLB’s new playoff format, the NL’s No. 2 seed earns a coveted first-round bye. To grab it, San Diego must out-finish both the Dodgers and the Phillies. Philadelphia currently holds a 2½-game edge for that slot, but faces a brutal September gauntlet featuring series against Atlanta, Baltimore, and the Yankees. WHAT’S NEXT San Diego opens a nine-game homestand tonight against the struggling Rockies, followed by visits from the Marlins and Giants. Win seven of nine, and the Padres could enter a September 10-12 rematch in Dodger Stadium with the division lead—and the inside track on a bye—squarely in their sights. BOTTOM LINE The Padres spent big, traded bold, and now sit 31 games from validating every headline-grabbing move. If Shildt’s club plays “our brand of baseball,” as Gavin Sheets said, San Diego might soon celebrate its first NL West crown in nearly two decades—and transform what began as a regional rivalry into the most watched pennant race of 2025.