Front Row Seat: Padres punch their ticket to the playoffs

Section 1904 is a community-supported media company. If you like our content, considering either subscribing to support our work for as little as $5/month or dropping a tip in the jar.

Section 1904

Weekend Recap: Padres prepare the champagne

Padres & Aztecs win, San Diego FC gets a little bit closer to history, and David Letterman provides us with some perspective.

Section 1904Darren Smith

San Diego Padres

Extra special: Padres beat Brewers in 11 innings, secure NL playoff spot - San Diego Union-Tribune
The golden era of Padres baseball minted another moment on Monday night, as the team clinched its fourth postseason berth since 2020.

That this season would culminate in a playoff run had become inevitable, but a sluggish September had delayed the champagne.

The newest moment that secured the new normal for the Padres came in the 11th inning Monday when Freddy Fermin’s walk-off single gave them a 5-4 victory over the Brewers.

Padres walk off into October, return to postseason for 4th time in 6 years - MLB.com
In the home clubhouse at Petco Park, they set up sheets of plastic around the lockers, then wheeled in the tubs of beer and champagne. There was a speech from the manager, then screaming and laughing and liquids flying around the room from all angles. They took pictures together and sang and hugged. When it was done, they spilled onto the field to revel in the moment with their families.

It’s one thing to get here; moments like this one have been rare for most of the Padres’ history. It’s another thing to make it a habit.

Why the Padres’ playoff-clinching celebration was even sweeter than the last one - The Athletic
Moments after speaking with his star right fielder on the phone, A.J. Preller stood in a plastic-wrapped room as a party raged around him. The San Diego Padres president of baseball operations had already been doused, multiple times, with cheap alcohol. This was the hard-earned reward after a summer of frustration and anticipation.

The only thing missing was the presence of Fernando Tatis Jr., who awoke Monday feeling ill. Hours later, he watched on television as catcher Freddy Fermin delivered an 11th-inning walk-off single, setting off a wild celebration at Petco Park.

“He told me to take my shirt off like he usually does,” Preller said. “I don’t think that’s going to happen. It seemed like he was feeling better; he let me know that.”