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3w ago

Padres Beat Dodgers to Clinch Wild‑Card Berth

The 4-2 victory on Thursday puts San Diego in control of its wild‑card fate and tightens seeding battles as the regular season closes.

Houston Astros pitcher Mike Burrows throws before an MLB baseball game at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) watches the ball as he turns a double play as Athletics Lawrence Butler (4) slides in to second during the first inning of an MLB baseball game at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
The scoreboard at Sutter Health Park shows Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez in the MLB lead in slugging percentage before an MLB baseball game in Sacramento, California, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
Houston Astros Lucas Spence, right, celebrates with Christian Vázquez hitting a solo home run, his second of the game, to take a 5-4 lead during the seventh inning of an MLB baseball game at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.

Overview

  • The San Diego Padres secured a postseason spot with a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night, keyed by Ethan Salas’s run‑producing hits and Mason Miller closing out the game.
  • The clinch is the franchise’s third straight playoff appearance and leaves the Padres in position to host the National League Wild Card series if they finish atop the wild‑card standings with three regular‑season games left.
  • The Dodgers had already clinched the NL No. 2 seed and a first‑round bye earlier Thursday, a result that gives the team extra rest and home‑field advantage for the Division Series as they manage late‑season injuries.
  • The American League West remains undecided with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers tied and the Astros holding the season‑series tiebreaker, making the division title the only postseason path for both clubs.
  • Milwaukee clinched the top NL seed and reached 100 wins, while the final National League wild‑card spot is still contested between the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks as the regular season winds down.