Padres clinch 2026 Postseason berth with 4-2 win over Dodgers
Credit: Hawaii Tribune-Herald
The San Diego Padres clinch a spot in the postseason after a series win against the Dodgers in LA
Nick Pivetta started the game for the Padres. Pivetta came into his start with a 3.30 ERA in his limited 30.0 innings, after battling a right elbow flexor strain for much of the season.
Tyler Glasnow was the starter for LA. Last time out for Glasnow was six days ago against the Giants, where he allowed just two earned runs through six innings and struck out 10.
Last regular-season game vs. the Dodgers
Ethan Salas earned his second consecutive start, the night after the 20-year-old went 1-2 at the plate with a very crucial defensive ABS challenge in the fourth inning.
Series finale. pic.twitter.com/5Gk19mmz8f
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 24, 2026
Pivetta works into the fifth
Nick Pivetta gave the Padres 4 2/3 innings of shutout ball that the team needed at this time. The Canadian-born right-hander allowed four hits, walking one, while striking out seven Dodgers. Pivetta tossed 87 pitches, with 59 of those coming for strikes. The Dodgers’ bats whiffed 15 times against the Padres’ starter, an impressive and positive sign for both Pivetta and San Diego.
Yuki strands a pair
Yuki Matsui entered for Pivetta in the fifth, where Pivetta would depart after allowing a two-out single to Mookie Betts. Matsui came in to face the left-handed Freddie Freeman, where he would single to center to put runners at first and third and two away. Teoscar Hernandez struck out to leave Betts and Freeman on base.
BIG strikeout for Yuki Matsui against Teoscar Hernandez to strand 2 Dodgers
NEED. RUNS!#padres pic.twitter.com/cPwMUH8gYG
— Padres Central (@PadresCentral_) September 25, 2026
Padres find life in the sixth
Going into the top of the sixth inning, Tyler Glasnow had not surrendered a hit to the Padres. Ethan Salas broke Glasnow’s no-no bid with a one-out single into left field. Fernando Tatis Jr. followed that hit with one of his own, putting runners on the corner for Dustin Harris. Harris flew out to the center fielder Andy Pages, and Salas would score the first run of the night.
Dustin Harris’ sac fly puts the #Padres on the board first over the Dodgers up 1-0
HUGE! pic.twitter.com/1NIS5ICXoW
— Padres Central (@PadresCentral_) September 25, 2026
San Diego gets insurance
Jackson Merrill doubled with an out away in the top of the seventh. Xander Bogaerts followed Merrill with a 3-2 walk. Jake Cronenworth was lifted for Austin Hays after Justin Wrobleski came in for the starter Glasnow. Hays singled in Merrill to extend the Padres’ lead to 2-0.
Salas came through once again, this time with a two-out single to bring in Bogaerts as the third Padres’ run.
Tatis Jr. followed Salas’ RBI single with one of his own, this to score Song. Padres lead 4-0 heading into the middle of the seventh.
THE SWINGIN’ FRIARS pic.twitter.com/J5I3c9owsg
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) September 25, 2026
Dodgers take advantage of mistake
With runners at the corners and two away, Adrian Morejon balked with Miguel Rojas up to bat. With the balk, Betts scores, giving the Dodgers their first run of the night.
Miller closes it out
Mason Miller allowed a run while striking out two but still shut the door. On Thursday, Miller broke the record for strikeouts in a single season by a Padres reliever with 127.
Recap
With the win, the Padres punched their ticket into the 2026 Postseason. This marks the third consecutive year that San Diego has made the Postseason, the first time in team history.
Yuki Matsui received his fourth win of the year with his shutout inning. Tyler Glasnow took the loss with his three earned runs.
Mason Miller got his 38th save of 2026.
“It feels good to get that monkey off our backs, but we have more to accomplish,” Stammen said postgame.
“Very proud; they haven’t quit all year,” Stammen said postgame about the grit of the team. “They fought through their slumps, stuck with each other, and were rewarded for getting to play in the postseason.”
Final three games of 2026
The Padres will head south back home to San Diego to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game series and the final regular-season games of the year. Brandon Pfaadt is Arizona’s probable starter, with San Diego yet to announce one. First pitch at Petco Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PDT.
Angel grew up a San Diego sports fan, following the Padres, SDSU athletics, San Diego FC, as well as the Chargers. He is currently a student at San Diego State University, majoring in Journalism with an emphasis in Public relations.