Padres secure 2nd playoff spot since 2006

The San Diego Padres locked up a wild-card spot after the Milwaukee Brewers fell to the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

San Diego will be playing in the postseason for the second time since 2006. The club also made the playoffs in the 2020 pandemic-shortened campaign.

"I want to be part of a team that brought a championship to this city. This is one step along the way, but we've got some work to do still. So we'll celebrate tonight. Then get back at it tomorrow," right-hander Joe Musgrove said, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.

The New York Mets or Atlanta Braves will end up with the top wild-card spot. The Padres currently hold the No. 5 seed, which means they could start the playoffs on the road against the club that loses the NL East race.

San Diego's charge to a postseason berth was spearheaded by an MVP-caliber campaign from Manny Machado. The star third baseman entered Sunday's action with 32 homers, 101 RBIs, and an NL-best 7.3 fWAR. His performance came in the absence of Fernando Tatis Jr., who didn't play a single game this year because of a wrist injury and PED suspension.

The Padres also added Juan Soto, Josh Bell, and Josh Hader at the trade deadline.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies sit 1 1/2 games behind San Diego in the wild-card standings after beating the Washington Nationals on Sunday. The Phillies can clinch the No. 6 seed with one more win or a Brewers loss.