SAN DIEGO — The Padres are going to the playoffs. Back to the playoffs.
With a dramatic 5-4 victory over the Brewers in 11 innings on Monday night at Petco Park, San Diego punched its ticket to the postseason for a second straight year. That’s no small achievement. It marks the first time the Padres have put together back-to-back playoff appearances since 2005-06.
“We’re in — I think right in the beginning of — the best era of Padres baseball,” said manager Mike Shildt.
This season only solidifies it. The Padres have now reached the postseason for the fourth time in six years. They’ve spent more than half a decade as perennial contenders. They’ve entrenched themselves as one of the National League’s heavyweights.
Now, for that elusive next step. The Padres are eyeing the first World Series title in franchise history. Step 1 complete: They’re in the dance. And with the roster they constructed — then reinforced at the Trade Deadline — they’ll take their chances.
Especially with a super-bullpen like this one — completed when the Padres landed Mason Miller from the A’s at the Deadline. It’s the type of bullpen that wins in October.
The lineup, meanwhile (which was already strong but somewhat top heavy), grew significantly deeper with the additions of Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn and Freddy Fermin. It was Fermin’s walk-off single that officially sent San Diego to the postseason in the bottom of the 11th.
With that flurry of six trades involving 22 players on the July 31 Deadline, general manager A.J. Preller made it clear: He was going for it.
“The expectation with this group is always to go win a ring, go win a championship,” Preller said on Deadline day. “That’s the goal.”
The Padres are officially one step closer. And for the second straight season, they clinched in dramatic fashion. Last year, they secured a playoff spot with a triple play at Dodger Stadium. This year, it was Fermin singling home Bryce Johnson in the bottom of the 11th — the first time the Padres have clinched a playoff spot with a walk-off in franchise history.
The Padres also moved 2 1/2 games back of the Dodgers in the National League West, though L.A. holds the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two. In the Wild Card standings, San Diego is also 2 1/2 back of the Cubs — but would own that particular tiebreaker. Which means if the two teams ended up tied for the top Wild Card spot, the Padres would host a Wild Card Series.
But those permutations are for another day. Soon enough, the Padres will know their opponent and their destination. Monday night was all about celebrating a trip to the postseason.
