The Los Angeles Dodgers were making a late push, scoring once in the bottom of the ninth to close the gap against the San Diego Padres. With runners on first and second and no outs, Miguel Rojas stepped up to the plate, and waiting in the on-deck circle was none other than Shohei Ohtani. This guy had been on fire lately, hitting an incredible .600 (2 for 2) with 2 homers, 1 double, and 3 RBIs in his last four games! But still, Manny Machado thinks they have something that the Dodgers don’t.

It feels like the Padres need a divine intervention to fend off baseball’s hottest hitter and likely NL MVP. Don’t moments like these make us wish divinity were true? But guess what? One of the players does. Machado believes they have help from the late Peter Seidler, the beloved former Padres owner who passed away last November. Known for being the kind of owner who genuinely cared about his team’s success, his passion for the game and dedication to the franchise made him a role model in the sport. 

Manny Machado’s belief in Seidler looking after us

After Seidler’s passing last year, the Padres have embarked on a miraculous run this season, striving to fulfill Seidler’s dream of bringing home the franchise’s first World Series title. “In a tough spot, with Ohtani in the on-deck circle, we turn a triple play against one of the best teams in baseball? He’s looking upon us.” Machado said, according to the LA Times.

Just one pitch after squaring to bunt and taking a strike Tuesday night, Miguel Rojas smashed a hard ground ball right at Manny Machado. In a flash, Machado took two quick steps to the bag. He tagged third and fired a bullet to second baseman Jake Cronenworth. Cronenworth didn’t hesitate—he zipped it over to first base to pull off a game-ending triple play! The Padres secured a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. And Machado believes that Peter had something to do about it.

“I think he’s been with us all year; he’s shining upon us right now, smiling down, enjoying this moment, enjoying this victory with us, enjoying the celebration,” Manny Machado shared. The Padres clinched a playoff berth and closed the Dodgers’ NL West lead to just two games with only five left in the season. San Diego built a solid 4-1 lead going into the ninth, thanks in part to Jake Cronenworth’s two-run homer in the second inning and RBI hits from Xander Bogaerts.

On the mound, Padres right-hander Michael King was impressive. Giving up just one unearned run and three hits over five innings, improving to 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA. The bullpen was lights out, too, with Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, Tanner Scott, and Jason Adam combining for three scoreless innings. Indeed, an entire team effort, and maybe a little help from the above.

Remembering Peter Seidler and celebration of his life 

The week before Opening Day, the San Diego Padres took a moment to honor the life and legacy of Peter Seidler. He sadly passed away late last year after a battle with cancer. The celebration of his life took place at Petco Park on March 23, starting at 1:00 p.m. Fans were encouraged to come early since seating was on a first-come, first-served basis. It was a heartfelt event, and throughout the 2024 season, the team wore a “PS” jersey patch in his memory. Plus, the first 10,000 fans who attended the ceremony got a jersey patch of their own as a sentimental gift to remember him by.

Seidler, who passed away on November 14, 2023, at the age of 63, was loved by fans not just for his passion for bringing a World Series to San Diego but also for his willingness to make bold financial moves for the team. His philanthropic efforts in helping San Diego’s homeless population left a lasting impact on the community. A third-generation member of the O’Malley family—who once owned the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers—Seidler was also a two-time cancer survivor. In mid-September, the team announced he had undergone an unspecified medical procedure in August and wouldn’t be returning for the rest of the year.

Peter Seidler played a key role in purchasing the Padres in 2012 and later bought out Ron Fowler’s majority stake in November 2020. His leadership helped the Padres boost their payroll to about $258 million on Opening Day, the third-highest in the majors, especially after their exciting run to the NL Championship Series the previous fall. Under his guidance, the team made history with their third-ever trip to the NL Championship Series in 2022. His legacy continues to inspire everyone connected to the Padres.