Padres Manager Has Strong Message About Beating Dodgers in LA

Craig Stammen's team is riding high as the regular season winds down.

Sep 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) is greeted by teammates after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Diego Padres clinched a postseason berth on Thursday night after taking two of three games from the rival Dodgers in Los Angeles

With the two wins, the Padres control their own destiny to secure the No. 4 seed, which would come with a home wild-card series.

After Wednesday's 5-1 win over Los Angeles, manager Craig Stammen was proud of how his team responded following Tuesday night's shutout. 

“Getting a win in Dodger Stadium against the Dodgers is also a big thing too,” Stammen said.“You know, they’re a great team, and any time we can get a win against them, it’s a good deal.”

The Padres' win over the Dodgers on Thursday was their fifth in 13 matchups against their biggest rival. 

However, the Padres were able to get two big wins against the Dodgers when they needed them most to clinch a postseason berth.

“It’s always big when you’re facing the team that won our division,” Stammen said. “Somehow we’re gonna have to beat them. They’ve won the World Series the last [two] years. All 29 teams are trying to beat that team. And so when we get a chance to go up against them in their house, it’s always nice when you get a win.”

How Are the Padres Positioned Heading Into the Postseason?

While the Padres went another year without securing an NL West title, they are in great shape heading into the postseason. 

San Diego is one of the hottest teams in baseball, surging after a slow start to the 2026 season. 

From the summer months on, the Padres offense has turned around in a big way thanks to the surge of Tatis, Jackson Merrill and Ty France. 

On the pitching side, Michael King has stepped up as a reliable ace in the starting rotation. 

After the Padres' wins, they now lead the Chicago Cubs by one game and the Philadelphia Phillies by two game for the first NL wild-card spot, which would bring home-field advantage throughout a best-of-three Wild Card Series.

If the Padres secure the fourth seed, they would host the Cubs or Phillies in the wild-card round. 

The winner of that round would face the No. 1 seed in the NL, the Milwaukee Brewers. 

San Diego has three games remaining, all against the Arizona Diamondbacks, who are fighting for their postseason lives. The Diamondbacks need to win two more games than the Phillies over the final series of the season to clinch a postseason spot.

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