The Dodgers and San Diego Padres have been on a postseason collision course for years, meeting three times in every even year dating back to 2020. For that streak to continue in 2026, we’re talking about a potential matchup that could happen one round later than those previous three NLDS tussles. The regular season is winding down, and the stakes are absolutely massive.
Dodgers Chasing That Top Seed Bye
Right now, the Dodgers are sitting with the second-best record in the National League. But they’re still two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for that sweet No. 1 seed. With just six games left for both squads, the Dodgers need a wild nine of 12 possible outcomes to swing their way if they want to snag the top spot. On the flip side, things look a little more secure for the No. 2 seed. They’re up four games on the Atlanta Braves and only need three of 12 outcomes to go their way to clinch it. Locking up that No. 2 spot means a bye right past the wild card round and straight into the NL Division Series.
Remember those past postseason battles? The Dodgers swept San Diego in Texas back in 2020. Then, the Padres got their revenge in 2022, beating a dominant 111-win Dodgers team in four games. The 2024 battle was the best one yet, with the Padres holding a 2-1 series lead before the Dodgers pulled off an epic comeback, holding San Diego scoreless for the final 24 innings to survive and advance. If they meet again, it’s gonna be spicy.
Wild Card Chaos Could Shake Up October Plans
The MLB playoff structure sets up the No. 1 seed to play the winner of the wild card series between the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds, while the No. 2 seed faces the winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 series. Looking at the NL wild card race as of Tuesday, it’s a total dogfight. The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres are both at 87-69, with the Philadelphia Phillies right on their heels at 86-70. Even the Arizona Diamondbacks, at 82-74, aren’t totally out of it yet.
Tiebreakers are gonna be huge here: the Cubs hold the advantage over both the Padres (5-1) and Phillies (6-1), and Philly has a dominant 6-0 record against San Diego. Arizona’s last gasp might come down to their final three games against the Padres this weekend. Seriously, any of these three teams could end up anywhere from the fourth to sixth seed by the end of the week! This chaotic finish means if the Padres somehow land as the six seed, they could clash with the No. 2 seed Dodgers in the NLDS, assuming they beat the No. 3 seed Braves first. But if the Dodgers are No. 2 and the Padres grab the fourth or fifth seed, then we wouldn’t see that epic rivalry rematch until the NLCS.
A Deep Dive Into Divisional Showdowns
Divisional teams squaring off in the postseason has only been a thing since 1995, making these matchups feel extra charged. Two NL West teams have only met in the NLCS once: back in 2007 when the Diamondbacks ran headfirst into “Rocktober” and got swept in four games by the Colorado Rockies. Overall, we’ve seen a divisional matchup in the League Championship Series a dozen times, including the Yankees over the Orioles in the 1996 ALCS or the Marlins beating the Braves in the 1997 NLCS. This final week of games for these NL teams is absolutely critical, with every outcome shaping the October landscape. Will the Dodgers lock down that No. 2 seed? Will the Padres navigate the wild card maze into another face-off? We’re about to find out, and it’s going to be must-watch baseball!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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