The San Diego Padres have had a stellar 2022 season. After a continuous 99-day lockout, the Padres were ready to make this year memorable. On Oct. 2, the Padres found out they would be participating in October baseball by playing in the postseason. 

A postseason highlight recap.

Padres vs. Mets

The Padres were up against the New York Mets for the first round in the Wild Card series, which ended with a successful win. However, success doesn’t always mean It was smooth-sailing. In game three, Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove managed to limit the Met’s number of hits to just one. Mets manager Buck Showalter decided it was time to step in and hopefully change the tide by throwing Musgrove off his game by checking him for foreign substances and accusing him of cheating.

They checked Mugrosve’s hat, face, hands and ears.

“I tend to be a high-road guy, and I’m going to, but the problem I have is Joe Musgrove is a man of character, and questioning his character is a problem to me,” Padres Manager Bob Melvin said in an MLB interview. “That’s the part I have a problem with and I’m here to tell everyone Joe Musgrove is above-board as any pitcher I know.” 

Getting accused of cheating did everything but slow down Musgrove; it helped. Musgrove said seven innings, one-hit ball was the best outing of his career, including the infamous “no no Joe” no-hitter back in the Spring of 2021 against the Texas Rangers.

It worked out well for The Padres since they took that win and advanced further in the postseason.

Padres vs. Dodgers

After taking on the Mets, the Padres knew they were hungry for more victories and could not be stopped. It was the week of a four-game series against L.A, which started with the Dodgers taking the first game with a 3-5 win in game one. Little did anybody know what was in store for them. On Oct. 15, The Dodgers stepped into the bottom of the seventh, giving the Padres three runs. 

The seventh inning included a walk from Dodgers Reliever Tommy Kanhale, followed by a fast-pitch single from Padres Trent Grisham. It was during this inning that everyone knew what the outcome would be. The Padres ended the series with a 5-3 lead and the rain starting to pour.

Everyone in San Diego broke out in celebration. Fans at the stadium were cheering, singing, waving their yellow towels around, and dancing. Petco Park became a party, as did everywhere else in the city. Fans flooded downtown and rallied, chanting and singing. Bars down there were packed, along with a few of the Padres players buying fans shots at some of the downtown bars.

The clubhouse was chaotic. There was a lot of celebrating, laughing and smiles, and champagne and beer being sprayed everywhere.

“This is awesome, man,”  Third Baseman Manny Machado said in an interview with CBS San Diego. “This is what the city’s been waiting for for a long time. This team has been working really hard all year.”

That will be a series San Diego will never forget.

Padres vs. Phillies

Continuing after a wonderful previous week, the Padres were up against The Phillies, which did not go as planned for San Diego. In the fifth game of the series, after a two-run homer in the eighth inning, the Phillies took a 4-3 lead against San Diego and moved forward to play the Houston Astros in the World Series. The Astros would go on to beat the Phillies 4-2 in the series to clinch the title.

Did the postseason go as planned for some Padres fans?:

Ethan Cashetta, center fielder and pitcher for Grossmont College’s men’s baseball team, reflected on his expectations for the postseason.

 “Well, I’m wrong,” he said. “I was off by a good bit. A lot of teams lost that I didn’t expect to lose, and teams won that I did

n’t expect to win.”

Cashetta said he thought Atlanta was going to take victory at the World Series again. 

“I thought they were going all the way. Padres too. I thought they had it for a second.” 

Cashetta said he is not worried since Shortstop Fernando Tatís will return next year.

Grossmont’s first baseman Zavien Watson added: “Me and Cash were pretty spot on with the Wild Card series, but we just came up short against The Phillies. But props to them; they raked, so, fair and square.” 

Predictions for next season:

Cashetta said the Padres are taking the NL West next year. While the Dodgers are in second, the Padres will take it.

In his predictions, Watson said we will have the same team, except for some pitchers, but he also feels like we will take the lead for our division for the next couple of years. Watson also said we will give the Dodgers a run for their money.

The Padres may not have made it all the way, but it was a great year.