History Isn't on Padres' Side to Make Playoffs in 2026

The San Diego Padres have been one of the more interesting teams across baseball this season, given all the different injuries and inconsistency on the field.

Not only has San Diego lost multiple pitchers in the starting rotation, but the offense has been incredibly inconsistent.

But despite everything going against them, San Diego has been able to stay afloat in the National League West. The Padres own a record of 31-24 on the year, currently sitting four games behind the first place Los Angeles Dodgers.

However, even with the successes that the team has seen to open the year, there may be an uphill climb to reach the postseason.

According to The Athletic, only five teams since 1969 have made the playoffs after posting a sub-.656 OPS through the first 54 games of the year, which is something the Padres did. The Padres' team OPS is just above .650 following their shutout loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Among those five, only two have made the playofs this century: the 2012 Oakland Athletics and the 2021 Milwaukee Brewers. Each of these two teams had excellent starting pitching, which isn't something that the Padres have proven so far.

But to the credit of the Padres, they have been able to win games without the services of stars such as Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. Both players have seen real issues at the plate this season, with Tatis yet to hit a home run.

Tatis has hit .260 with 16 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases, while posting an OPS of .639. Machado, on the other hand, has hit .169 with nine home runs and 27 runs batted in, while putting up an OPS of .604.

But amid the offensive struggles, Machado is trying to stay positive. The veteran star reflected on the fact that the team is still winning games, even with the problems at the plate.

“I think we’re in a great spot,” Machado said. “We’re right where we need to be, and we’re not even firing [on] all cylinders. At the end of the day, at the end of the year, it’s about winning ballgames … making it into the postseason and getting deep into the postseason. And that’s all that really matters."

For the Padres to not only get into the postseason but also be competitive, both Machado and Tatis will need to be better. Both guys have been massive parts of the team over the years, and this team needs them to step up offensively.

Machado believes that the offense will get going at some point this year, but until then, the team can stay competitive to give itself a chance. But the goal of this season is a World Series for the Padres, and the odds seem bleak where everything stands right now.

"You’re not really going to look at these tough stretches that we’ve been having. We’re winning ball games, and we’re not even playing good baseball, so it’s a positive sign. I think everybody in here knows it. It’s not going to sustain all year, and we’re going to have to step up, and we’re going to do it. I think we’re inching closer to that," Machado said.

Add us as a preferred source on Google