Sep 10, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder TJ Friedl (29) scores ahead tag of San Diego Padres catcher Elias Diaz (17) during the eighth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
San Diego, California – The Padres are heading into the season’s final stretch looking more and more like a Wild Card team—and Wednesday night’s game at Petco Park reinforced both why they’re dangerous and why they’re vulnerable.
San Diego fell 2-1 to the Reds, dropping the three-game set and losing ground in both the NL West and the wild-card standings. It was the kind of game that September delivers: tight, tense, and decided by the slimmest of margins. For the Padres, it was another reminder that their margin for error is narrowing fast.
Nick Pivetta deserved better. The right-hander turned in one of his finest starts of the year, firing seven scoreless innings while scattering four singles and striking out eight. In a week where the bullpen was stretched thin, Pivetta’s effort was exactly what the Padres needed. “He knew what was at stake,” manager Mike Shildt said afterward. “We didn’t have a lot available tonight. Nick went in knowing that, and he delivered.”
The only run support came from Fernando Tatis Jr., who launched his 21st homer of the season in the fifth inning. For a moment, it looked like it might be enough. San Diego had played excellent defense behind Pivetta—Ramón Laureano capped his night with a leaping catch at the left-field wall, the second straight game the Padres robbed the Reds of a home run. (Tatis had pulled off the trick on Tuesday night in right.)
But baseball in September rarely sticks to the script. Kyle Hart opened the eighth and gave up a bunt single. Adrian Morejon entered with two outs, only to watch Elly De La Cruz rip a game-tying single to right. De La Cruz then stole second, and after a walk, Miguel Andújar dunked a bloop hit in front of Laureano for the go-ahead run. Just like that, the Padres’ 1-0 lead evaporated.
The loss stung, not least because of what it means for the standings. With 16 games left, San Diego sits three games behind the Dodgers in the division and seven games back of the Phillies for a coveted first-round bye. They’re still holding the second Wild Card spot, but unless something dramatic happens in the final two weeks, the Padres’ postseason will begin on the road.
That said, Pivetta’s performance underscored one of the biggest reasons the Padres remain dangerous. Signed late in spring training, he’s become the staff’s anchor, posting a 2.73 ERA while Yu Darvish and Dylan Cease have battled inconsistency and injuries. With Michael King finally back from the IL, San Diego may yet have the 1-2 punch it envisioned, supported by one of baseball’s most dominant bullpens.
For his part, Pivetta isn’t looking too far ahead. “I try not to think about October yet,” he said. “I’ve got a start coming up soon. That’s where my focus is—one game at a time.”
That start will come next week in New York against the Mets, a series with direct playoff implications. If Wednesday showed anything, it’s that the Padres can go toe-to-toe with anyone. But it also showed that if they don’t find more offense, they’ll be living on the edge all the way into October.
