The Padres handled the Dodgers 5-1 on Wednesday night, and the win came with a little bit of everything: a power swing from Manny Machado, a three-hit night from Fernando Tatis Jr., and another strong collective effort from a bullpen that shut the door over the final stretch.
Machado set the tone in the fourth inning with a towering two-run homer that would have counted as a solo shot if not for Ethan Salas’ challenge. Tatis added his own noise with three hits, helping San Diego move to 88-70 and keep the door open to take the series from the two-time defending champions on Thursday.
Robbie Ray gave the Padres a solid start, striking out two Dodgers and allowing one earned run in 3.1 innings. From there, five relievers took over and were nearly spotless, holding Los Angeles to three hits while striking out six over the last 5.2 scoreless innings.
Before the game was even finished, San Diego also made a roster shuffle. The Padres designated a veteran pitcher for assignment and optioned another pitcher to the Arizona Complex League. In the corresponding move, right-hander Jason Adam came off the injured list and is expected to make his first appearance since the end of June soon.
There’s also more clarity, and more concern, around Joe Musgrove. Manager Craig Stammen said the right-hander’s long-awaited 2026 debut may not come as quickly as hoped, with both sides wanting to avoid any rush that could keep him from being at his best.
"When you add somebody to the roster, somebody goes off the roster," Padres manager Craig Stammen said recently. "And Joe has got to feel comfortable that he can - he wants to help our team win.
He doesn’t just want to [just] pitch. And so we want him to be as comfortable as he can in that situation."
Walker Buehler’s postseason role is also starting to come into focus. Even with a 5.36 ERA in the first half, his 3.39 mark in the second half and his track record in October seem to be giving Stammen plenty of reason to trust him when the games matter most.
“I think that’s who he is,” Stammen said of that categorization. “That’s his persona: ‘Give me the ball in a big game and I’ll give you a good start.’
That’s not easy to do. A lot of guys can’t elevate their game in that way or be able to stay in that same space that they are constantly.
“He has that unique ability, and I think we’ve seen that throughout his entire career. Now it’s nice to have that type of personality on our team.”
In Other News...
D-Backs Lose Corbin Burnes At The Worst Possible Time
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Burnes has been dealing with a string of setbacks since Tommy John surgery in 2025, and his recent return to the mound did not come with the kind of sharpness the Diamondbacks had hoped for. For a club trying to get through the finish line, losing a pitcher of that caliber at this point forces another round of adjustment, with little time left to sort it out. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Enter Final Weekend With Their Season Hanging On
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Seeding across the league may still be shifting, but for the Diamondbacks the focus is simpler: survive and get in. With clubs like the Padres, Cubs, White Sox and Guardians already in, the last open doors are narrowing, and Arizonas path depends on one final push while Philadelphia tries to finish the job first. [Read more 🡒]
Ketel Marte Has Created An Ugly Diamondbacks Problem At Worst Time
Ketel Martes 2026 season has become a far different conversation than the one the Diamondbacks expected to be having about one of their most important hitters. Jayson Stark of The Athletic went so far as to name Marte the National Leagues Least Valuable Player, pointing to both his absence during a series and the downturn in his production at the plate. For a club that has leaned on him for impact in the middle of the lineup, it has been a sharp and unwelcome shift.
The bigger concern for Arizona is that Martes numbers no longer look like those of a player carrying a lineup, but more like those of an average bat after two strong seasons. His on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS all fell off, leaving the Diamondbacks with a problem that arrives at the worst possible time. When a player of Martes caliber stops providing that edge, it changes the feel of an offense, and it leaves Arizona trying to sort out how much of the gap is temporary and how much might linger. [Read more 🡒]