The Padres 2026 postseason feels different

It is still hard to imagine the San Diego Padres hosting a Wild Card Series at Petco Park, especially after Las Vegas sportsbooks gave them a seven percent chance of playing in October. But this year's postseason feels different from past playoff appearances.

Is the 2026 roster better than past playoff teams? Tough to answer, but this group has risen off the mat to become a club no one wants to meet in the postseason.

Before the pomp and circumstance associated with Opening Day began, the Padres had to subtract two important pieces from the starting rotation: Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove . Finding suitable replacements became an agonizing, summer-long task.