Overview

• The Padres have won 12 of their last 15 games since July 31, with relief ace Mason Miller and catcher Freddy Fermin delivering key late-inning performances and a go-ahead homer.
• San Diego enters Tuesday’s standings just two games behind the first-place Dodgers after a 6-3 post-deadline run that has narrowed Los Angeles’s long-held division lead.
• President of baseball operations A. J. Preller acknowledged backup plans were in place to secure bats if the Orioles deal faltered, underscoring a proactive and layered roster strategy.
• The San Francisco Giants, who traded away veteran talent following a 13-25 slump from mid-June to deadline day, have steadied their form but still trail the Padres in the NL West.
• Sixteen of San Diego’s final 25 games in September are at Petco Park against teams outside the playoff picture, offering a structural edge for sustaining their momentum.