Good morning,

Virtually everything we talk about at this point has to be viewed through the lens of the playoffs.

In that light, it may prove incredibly important that the Padres won last night.

The victory made it still possible that they host the Cubs in next week’s wild-card series. (The Padres must win their remaining two games and have the Cubs lose their remaining two games. Otherwise, they will play at Wrigley Field.)

But also considering the playoffs, it was not great that Yu Darvish allowed two home runs and relied on outs on the bases to get out of three of his five innings last night.

That was the main focus of my game story (here) from the Padres’ 7-4 victory over the Diamondbacks.

Padres manager Mike Shildt seemed perplexed as to why there would be questions about Darvish going into the postseason given that he has allowed six first-inning homers and 14 total homers over his past 12 starts.

“It’s Yu Darvish,” Shildt said. “I mean, guys are going to put some swings on it. Their top of the order is pretty good. I think they’ve got a combined .850 OPS, all three of them, if you average it out. So I don’t know what to say beyond that. I mean, guy put a swing on it.”

It is unclear what to make of Shildt’s comments for a few reasons.

First, not only did Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ No.2 batter, homer off Darvish, so did No.9 batter Jake McCarthy. Second, these were not isolated incidents. Third, the Cubs have a pretty good top of the order as well.

None of the cold realities regarding Darvish — the preponderance of home runs, the 5.38 ERA — mean he is not capable of going out and giving the Padres what they need in a playoff game.

Shildt is certainly correct when he says, “It’s Yu Darvish.” There are still times in all his starts this year where he looks unhittable. Even last night, against a team he has faced a lot and while not getting through a single inning without allowing a baserunner, he got some silly swings.

Depending partly on how far Nick Pivetta goes in Game 1 and in which game Darvish pitches, the Padres might be looking for him to give them four innings. If he can do it without allowing a home run, something he has done just twice in his past 12 starts, that might work out.

As noted in my game story, the Padres are planning on their bullpen doing some heavy lifting in the playoffs. (Whether there should be confidence in plan is another topic given some recent results.)

Darvish said he will begin his between-starts preparation as if he is going again in five days, which would land him on Game 2. And if he is tabbed to start a game against the Cubs, he knows what will be necessary.

“Here comes the real deal, right?” he said. “I’m just going to go full-on from the first pitch until they pull me out of the game. So very excited, looking forward to it.”

Darvish was asked whether that was different than how he has pitched since returning from the injured list on July 7.

His answer was particularly intriguing when considering some context.

The 39-year-old Darvish has been sidelined by elbow issues at some point in all five seasons he has played for the Padres. It is considered a matter of time — and maybe a short time — before the elbow does not allow him to pitch anymore.

Such is the state of his arm that the Padres considered a silver lining of Darvish spending the season’s first three months on the injured list that it would preserve him for this time of year. There has been talk around baseball, including inside the Padres organization, about Darvish potentially not playing out his contract.

So, here was his answer:

“I would think so. You’re thinking about your body. You’re thinking about (the) number of pitches during the regular season. But once you go into the playoff it’s like you don’t necessarily care if you’re going to break. You’re just going to go on and give everything you have.”

Fernando Flashback

Fernando Tatis Jr. appears to be going back in time just in time.

His grand slam in last night’s fourth inning — on the ninth pitch of his at-bat — was his first since 2021. And his hitting a home run in his first game back after a bout of covid was reminiscent of who he was his first few years in the big leagues.

His first four times on the injured list, between 2019 and ‘21, he hit a home run no later than his second game back. Three times, he did it within his first three at-bats. His final time coming off the IL in 2021, he doubled and hit two home runs before making an out in his first game back.

Tatis has arguably been the Padres’ most valuable player in 2025. He leads the team in WAR (5.7) and wRC+ (129) and is tops among their qualifying batters with an .807 OPS. His 109 runs are fifth in the National League. He is also the NL’s likely Gold Glove winner in right field.

But he also suffered a significant midseason power drop-off, and power is an essential part of his toolbox if he is to be considered one of the game’s best players.

After hitting 13 home runs in his first 205 at-bats this season, Tatis hit four in his next 280 at-bats.

But last night was his second game in a row with a home run and his seventh in 25 games (105 at-bats).

His recent power surge gives more credence to the idea that another October outburst could be looming.

“I feel like I’m in a great place,” said Tatis, whose 1.328 OPS ranks fifth all-time through a player’s first 13 career postseason games. “You know, playoff baseball is definitely different. Looking forward to that adrenaline.”

Tatis, who likes a good party as much or more than the next guy, also has some extra motivation.

He missed this past Monday’s celebration when the Padres clinched their playoff spot, as that was the first of three games he missed while ill.

“It’s definitely hard, watching from home,” he said. “We have played for this all year, so definitely was looking forward to that celebration. But that means now we need to celebrate a couple more times.”

Finishing strong

Luis Arraez had four hits for the third time this season and the first time since July 5.

That continued his torrid finish to a season that will almost certainly end with him hitting below .300 for just the second time in his six seasons and not winning a batting title for the first time since 2021.

Arraez is batting .393 (22-for-56) during a 14-game hitting streak, which is two shy of his career-best hitting streak set earlier this season.

He has his season average up to .292, fourth highest in the National League and 13 points behind league leader Trea Turner of the Phillies.

Turner is on the injured list with a hamstring strain and is not expected to play again until the NL Division Series.

So, provided no one else passes Turner, there is a fixed target.

“I need to get four or five hits in tomorrow and the last game,” Arraez said with a chuckle. “But nothing is impossible.”

Actually, it would take Arraez going 12-for-12 over the next two days to pass Turner.

A sweet connection

Last night was the final time the Padres will wear their pink, mint and yellow City Connect jerseys. The club will unveil a new version before next season.

Arraez will miss them. But not for the reason you might think.

It does not have anything to do with the colors vibing with his adopted home of Miami. Nor does it have to do with his being a flashy dresser.

“That uniform is for girls,” he said. “But I like to wear it. I’m a dad. I have three daughters. That’s why I like to wear it.”

Tidbits

  • Jeff Sanders wrote in yesterday afternoon’s game preview (here) about Tatis’ return, some more on Ramón Laureano’s injury and the left-handed nature of the Padres’ lineup. In particular, they have frequently had three left-handed batters in a row near the bottom of the order. Given that they appear to be leaning toward Gavin Sheets starting in left field now that Laureano is out, that lineup will likely be the same for at least the start of the postseason.
  • Last night was the Padres’ 24th victory this season in a game in which they trailed by two or more runs. That is two more than they had in 2024 and 14 more than they had in 2023.
  • Manny Machado lined a ball 381 feet to center field at 109.8 mph in his first at-bat last night. The out was his hardest hit ball in more than a month. Just six of the previous 23 balls he had put in play had an exit velocity of 100 mph or greater. That 26% rate was well off his season rate of 37.6% before that.
  • Machado, who entered the game 2-for-21 with a walk over his previous five games and in arguably the most extensive slump of his career, singled and walked last night.
  • Mason Miller got the final four outs last night for his 22nd save of the season and his second with the Padres. It was also the fifth time he has recorded at least four outs in a Padres victory, second only to Adrian Morejón (16) among the team’s relievers. But his outing also extended a short but troubling streak of games in which he has walked at least one batter. Miller, who walked six batters in his first 18 games with the Padres, has walked four in his past three games.
  • Ryan O’Hearn singled and walked twice last night. He is 13-for-36 during a seven-game hitting streak.
  • Xander Bogaerts was 2-for-5 last night and is 3-for-13 since returning from the injured list. He also had a line drive caught inches off the ground in his final at-bat.
  • Last night was Wandy Peralta’s 500th career relief appearance.
  • Yesterday’s five-run fourth inning was the Padres’ first since Sept. 6 at Coors Field, a span of 17 games.
  • Last night’s crowd of 44,547 was the Padres’ 70th sellout. A month ago, their internal projections had them finishing with 69 sellouts.
  • You read (here) about what the Padres cherish most about playing in the postseason in Jeff Sanders’ latest “Clubhouse Chatter” feature.
  • And for a look at why the players with playoff experiences are valued, you can read Annie Heilbrunn’s story (here).

All right, that’s it for me.

Talk to you tomorrow.