Jul 30, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Robert Suarez (75) celebrates with catcher Martin Maldonado (15) after defeating the New York Mets at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – Yu Darvish was nearly untouchable Wednesday afternoon, and the Padres delivered on both sides of the ball to complete a dominant three-game sweep of the red-hot New York Mets with a 5-0 win at Petco Park.
Six days after a rough outing in Cleveland, Darvish rebounded in vintage form, tossing seven scoreless innings with surgical efficiency. He gave up just two hits, walked none, and struck out seven—all on only 76 pitches. It was his sharpest performance since his season debut on July 7, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Darvish’s win wasn’t just personal redemption—it was historic. The 38-year-old now has 204 wins across his professional career, passing Hiroki Kuroda for the most ever by a Japanese-born pitcher between NPB and MLB.
After allowing a first-inning single to Mark Vientos, Darvish retired the next 13 Mets in a row, showcasing pinpoint control and a devastating mix of pitches. He walked off to a standing ovation after a perfect seventh inning, capping what was also San Diego’s big league-leading 15th shutout of the season.
Offensively, the Padres gave Darvish more than enough cushion.
Manny Machado stayed hot, driving in the game’s first two runs with a clutch bases-loaded single in the second. Machado—who homered in Tuesday’s win—finished with two hits and has now driven in five runs in the last two games.
Gavin Sheets added insurance with a no-doubt two-run homer in the third, his first longball since July 9. The blast, which traveled an estimated 427 feet, came on an 0-2 pitch and marked a much-needed breakout after a 12-game slump.
Jackson Merrill capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the eighth, bringing home Fernando Tatis Jr. to make it 5-0. Tatis, Martin Maldonado, and Luis Arraez each added two hits as San Diego’s lineup continued to click without slugger Juan Soto, who missed the game after fouling a ball off his foot Tuesday.
New York came into the series riding a seven-game winning streak, but left San Diego empty-handed—and outscored 16-1 across three games. The Mets hadn’t been swept in a three-game series at Petco since 2008.
The win marked San Diego’s fifth straight and pulled them closer to the NL West-leading Dodgers as the second half surge continues.
After a well-earned day off Thursday, the Padres will continue their homestand Friday with a weekend rematch against the St. Louis Cardinals. If Darvish’s outing is any sign, this team might be heating up at just the right time.
