Padres News: MLB Analyst Lays Out 3 Reasons Why Friars Still Have a Chance to Make the Postseason
The current iteration of the San Diego Padres certainly don't scream "playoff team."
They were supposed to be -- that was almost a certainty with multiple stars littered throughout the roster -- but that certainty hasn't come to pass with the Padres four and a half games out of a wild card spot.
And after losing five out of their last six games, there doesn't seem to be much hope of a quick turnaround.
Or is there?
Dayn Perry of CBS Sports doesn't think that the Padres playoff ship has sailed, and he laid out three reasons why San Diego could still make the postseason in what has been so far an incredibly disappointing 2023.
His main reason, at its core, is the fact that the Padres have played better than their record indicates, a statement that Perry laid out using their run differential.
"First and most essentially, the Padres at a fundamental level haven't played like a 55-60 team. They right now have a run differential of plus-56, which is good for fourth-best in the NL. That kind of run differential should yield a record of 63-52, which is a massive eight games better than their actual mark."
Secondly, he brought up the fact that the team's rotation could get healthier, with Michael Wacha currently on a rehab assignment. A return for Joe Musgrove is uncertain, but even if just the former were to return, it would give San Diego a much needed boost.
Lastly, Perry mentioned the Padres soft remaining schedule, a slate that could give San Diego a chance at flipping the script on their season.
"To date, the Padres have played the sixth-toughest schedule in MLB as measured by opponents' average winning percentage. Moving forward, though, the Padres' remaining schedule ranks 21st in MLB when it comes to that same measure."
Their schedule could give them just what they need to turn their ill-fated year on its head, and combined with the return of Wacha not that far off, all hope isn't lost in San Diego.
