The Padres can point to one hard-luck out, or another, or another. Manny Machado’s drive into Garrett Mitchell’s glove.
Ty France and the roof cable in Milwaukee. But none of those plays changes what has become impossible to ignore: San Diego’s offense has disappeared in October three straight times.
The pattern is ugly and unmistakable. In the 2024 NLDS, the Padres went 24 consecutive innings without scoring.
In the 2025 Wild Card Series, they slashed .189/.243/.305 in a loss to the Cubs. And in the 2026 NLDS against the Brewers, they finished at .181/.278/.236.
That is not one bad week. That is three postseasons in a row with the same bats going quiet.
Craig Stammen pushed back on the idea that all of those failures should be bundled into one easy explanation. He liked the quality of San Diego’s at-bats against Milwaukee, and he was right to note the grind that comes with facing postseason pitching.
October is stacked with premium arms, and there are hardly any soft spots left to attack. Every lineup gets tested.
Every weakness gets hunted.
Still, the Padres have to hit.
One rough series can be written off. Repetition is where the concern starts to harden.
In 2024, San Diego was one win away from knocking out the Dodgers before the offense vanished for two straight games. In 2025, the club barely cleared a .300 slugging percentage against the Cubs.
This year, the season ended with the Padres going hitless over their final 21 at-bats.
Milwaukee did more with its chances. William Contreras and Jackson Chourio delivered the swings that mattered, while the Padres managed just two home runs and one double over the entire Division Series.
They were close. But October is full of teams that are “close.” Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill helped make this offense dangerous in the second half, then combined to hit .147 in the NLDS.
That leaves A.J. Preller with a real offseason problem, not a cosmetic one.
The Padres won 91 games. They made the playoffs for a third straight season.
They got through the Wild Card round and pushed baseball’s best regular-season team into four tight games. Those are real accomplishments.
But they also raise the bar.
Preller can’t treat this winter like San Diego just needs a little more depth and a little better luck. The Padres need another bat who can change a postseason game before an elite bullpen shuts the door.
They do not need to apologize for losing a close series to a 103-win Brewers team. They do need to stop acting like the way they lost was anything other than a problem that keeps coming back.
In Other News...
Padres Fans Have Every Reason To Hate This October Bracket
The Padres are left watching October from home after a frustrating postseason exit, and the bracket only seems to sharpen the sting. With the American League Championship Series now down to the Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays, the conversation has drifted toward the broader shape of the playoff field, where the usual marquee draw has been replaced by a pair of clubs that have earned their way this far but do not exactly deliver the kind of national spotlight that keeps casual fans glued to the screen.
For San Diego, the irritation is not just about being out, but about how the postseason path has played out around them. The club already had its own problems away from Petco Park this year, including a rough road showing against Tampa Bay, and now it gets to spend October thinking about a format that can leave a big-market fan base staring at a series it has little reason to care about. It is the kind of bracket that can make an early elimination feel even longer. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Fans Just Got An Offseason Glimpse Of Rising Arm Bradgley Rodriguez
Bradgley Rodriguez gave Padres fans something new to talk about in the early days after the clubs playoff exit, and it had nothing to do with the scoreboard. The young right-hander, who debuted in 2025, stepped into the offseason with a fresh full arm sleeve tattoo, a personal update that landed just after San Diego was knocked out by the Brewers.
For a pitcher who already spent part of 2026 establishing himself, the timing made the post especially noticeable. Rodriguez quietly put together a strong year on the mound and then carried that form into October, which only adds to the intrigue around a player who looks like he is still just getting started. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Face A Tough Offseason Balance Fans Can Already See
The Padres already have a familiar offseason theme taking shape, and it starts with two players who made clear they liked what they found in San Diego. Ty France turned in a strong 2026 season after beginning the year on a minor league contract, while Jason Adam proved useful out of the bullpen even while working through injury setbacks. For a club heading into a winter filled with roster questions, those are the kinds of internal voices that matter, especially when the front office has to weigh value, fit and urgency at the same time.
France has made his interest in staying known, and he is looking for a major league deal after reestablishing himself during the season. Adam has also said he wants to come back after finishing with a 2.62 ERA in 38 regular-season appearances, giving San Diego another possible bullpen piece to consider as it sorts through multiple needs, including the starting rotation. The challenge for the Padres is obvious enough: keeping useful veterans in place without losing sight of the bigger work still waiting this winter. [Read more 🡒]