The San Diego Padres last year were struggling with uncertainty. They had off-season changes, with the departure of Juan Soto and the shifts in their pitching staff. The team also didn’t make it to the playoffs, so, coming in this season, not many people took them seriously, until they did. As the saying goes – ‘the sun always rises again’, so did the Padres. They clawed their way back into the spotlight, and the team has remained consistent throughout the season.

Tuesday night was the peak point of their resurgence. In a nail-biting game with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres cranked up the drama up a notch, actually three, when they managed a jaw-dropping triple play against the Dodgers. This left Shohei Ohtani perplexed, waiting on deck. But thanks to Manny Machado’s quick reflexes, they could clench a victory against their possible biggest threat and even a playoff spot- to double the happiness.

Magical Manny Machado for the win!

Miguel Rojas, who had shown signs of bunting before, sent a sharp grounder to Machado. Then the baseman, thanks to his quick reflexes, stepped on the bag before sending a spot-on throw to Jake Cronenworth at second base, who then fired it to Donovan Solano at first. The Dodgers did challenge the out call at second base, but the ruling was in Padre’s favor. This feat marked the Padres’ first triple-play since 2010—a big moment indeed. “We’re going to enjoy tonight, enjoy this game, enjoy the celebration,”  “but the job’s not finished yet,” Machado said.

One thing is for sure, San Diego Padres has one specialty—their ability to be dramatic. They end up winning games, they shouldn’t have won in the first part. They have taken the NL West race to the wire, and no one expected this! The team’s manager, Mike Shildt, after their win with their arch nemesis at 4-2, summed it up perfectly, “Couldn’t script that any better.” As the crowd erupted after the game, Machado was soaking in the moment, and clad in only sunglasses celebrated with a mix of beer and champagne dripping from his every pore, “I’ve been dying to do it for a couple of years now,” he said. 

This win also meant the Padres earned their playoff spot. This is the team’s eighth playoff berth in franchise history, meaning at least a National League wild card with five games remaining in the regular season. They now are just two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, and two games left in their series. The Padres of now and last year are at a vast difference. They didn’t even manage to make it to playoffs last year. And now, believe it or not, Machado is confident about making it to the World Series.

Machado makes big bold claims! 

Manny Machado is pretty sure that his team, the San Diego Padres, is primed enough to be in the run for the World Series. Who can blame him, though? They had a solid series against the Houston Astros and now with a win against the Dodger’ it makes even more sense. The Padres have an impressive 10-2 record in extra innings this season. Plus, they have shown one thing — they perform well under pressure. And if you compare them to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Padres do seem to have an upper hand, when it comes to consistency. 

Manny Machado has also suggested it’s going to be the Astros and Padres in the World Series. But while he is confident, almost anything can happen in the playoffs. The Astros, moreover, are strong contenders, but no doubt they are dealing with internal issues given Yordany Álvarez’s injury. Right now, the Padres’ goal should be to remain consistent, as they have, and capitalize on their form. It might seem like Machado’s predictions are bold, but it is understandable. The last time the Padres even won the division was 2006, now, they are close to clinching it.

They also never won the World Series, but now, the team is in contention too. So far, given that San Diego could manage a triple play at that time and they did, the Padres seem to be God’s favorite child. Exciting times are ahead for San Diego fans; so, do you think the Padres will be able to clench the division title? Let us know below.