Padres Playing Their Way Out Of Playoff Contention

The San Diego Padres are still well within the playoff race, but if they are going to make it to October, it’s going to be by sneaking into the wild card.

But the Padres will need to play a lot better if they want to fend off the other National League teams vying for a spot. San Diego is 48-48 and won its last two games heading into the All-Star break, but the offense has left a lot to be desired this season.

Last year, the Padres won 90 games and were led by a potent offense that consisted of stars like right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., third baseman Manny Machado, center fielder Jackson Merrill and shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

This season, those guys haven’t been nearly as good as they were in 2025; the Padres have the worst offense in baseball and haven’t supported the pitching staff whatsoever. ESPN’s Eric Karabell believes the Padres are playing themselves out of playoff contention and there doesn’t seem to be any signs that the offense will snap out of this funk.

“Tatis, having drastically altered his plate mechanics and strategy, has hit only five home runs,” Karabell wrote Thursday. “Machado's batting average finally slipped past .200 on Sunday. Journeyman 1B Ty France leads the way in OPS. It wasn't supposed to be this way, but the Padres, wasting an amazing Mason Miller season, aren't playoff bound if they can't score.”

Tatis has hit for average this season and is getting on base, but his slugging percentage (.374) is over 120 points below his career number (.496).

Machado is slugging, leading the team with 19 home runs and 55 RBI, but isn’t getting on base and is barely hitting over the Mendoza line.

Merrill has a .628 OPS with 98 strikeouts. He was the Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2024 and although his sophomore season was plagued by injuries, he still put together a respectable 2.8 WAR season.

Bogaerts has been elite in the field this year, but his hitting has taken a major step back; the power is gone and he has a .648 OPS through 91 games.

Karabell knows many believe that these players will bounce back in the second half, but it’s mid-July and nothing suggests a turn-around is coming.

“Why would things suddenly change? There isn't much first-year manager Craig Stammen can do here. Whether his front office makes big news at the trade deadline or not, it will make headlines.”

San Diego is on the road against the Kansas City Royals to kick off the second half.