Padres close strong, shift their focus to Game 1 vs. Cubs on Tuesday

SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The San Diego Padres played their 162nd game of the 2026 MLB season on Sunday, finishing with a 9-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks .

They ended the regular season with a 91-71 record, clinching their third consecutive 90-win season.

After Sunday's victory, there will be roster questions to answer, especially when it comes to starter Randy Vásquez, who delivered six innings of one-run baseball on 68 pitches while allowing only three hits.

"Great outing by Randy today," Padres manager Craig Stammen said. "As far as Randy being available for the wild card series, we'll talk about that after today's game and decide if he'll be on the roster or if we want to save him for the the NLDS. If we get there."

The game between the Padres and Diamondbacks got interesting after the home team jumped out to a 4-1 lead thanks to a Manny Machado RBI single, a Gavin Sheets home run, a Ty France RBI single and a Freddy Fermin RBI double from the third through sixth innings.

Then Griffin Canning entered the game and unraveled, allowing five hits and three runs on 35 pitches. Obviously, Stammen wasn't going to use a playoff arm to get through the final game of the regular season.

Soon, it was a 4-4 game heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The Padres loaded the bases before Jake Cronenworth drew a walk to give them a 5-4 lead. Fermin followed with a single to left that scored two more runs, extending the lead to 7-4.

Teams always talk about "rock bottom" and how that moment tested them. For these San Diego Padres, it came on July 1, when the same Chicago Cubs they will face Tuesday in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series thrashed them 23-3 at Wrigley Field.

Chicago hit eight home runs, tying a Cubs franchise record, while Walker Buehler allowed a career-high nine runs.

San Diego was 43-42 and in ninth place in the NL standings at the time. After that game, the Padres lost three of four to the Los Angeles Dodgers and looked like a team with no direction.

Since that point in the season, the Padres are 42-22 (.656), tied with Milwaukee for the best record in MLB over that span.

"I think these guys have found out that they can handle about anything and still come out on top," Stammen said. "I think that's a good lesson to be learned, and builds resiliency and toughness, and those are good trades to have in the postseason."

Their offense has turned things around and become more efficient, with players like Dustin Harris seemingly coming out of nowhere to become their No. 2 hitter.

Lately, they have been on a remarkable run, winning 14 of their last 15 games while 20-year-old rookie Ethan Salas has emerged as their top option at catcher.

Last year, the Padres limped into Chicago for the playoffs, losing Game 1 before bouncing back to win Game 2. Game 3 was a disaster, with some of manager Mike Shildt's decisions coming under scrutiny in a 3-1 loss that ended their season.

"That was last year," Fernando Tatis Jr. said. "I don't really go back to that, but seriously brand new opportunity. Like I said, we better take advantage of that."

It won't be easy. The Padres went 1-5 against the Cubs this season and were even swept by Chicago at Petco Park.

But those were the Padres who struggled earlier in the season, not the red-hot team that has emerged over the last few weeks.

"It's a good matchup," Cronenworth said. "It's a great team. You know it'll be fun. I think no matter who you're playing in the playoffs, you gotta bring your A game, no matter where it is. Obviously, it'll be fun to play here at home."

One advantage the players know they will have is Petco Park. They have seen how loud Padres fans can get during the postseason.

"It's home," Machado said. "I mean these guys bring it every single year, so come home and play how we always play in front of them. It's always great."

Buehler was asked about the difference between earning a bye in the Wild Card round and having to keep playing immediately after the regular season.

"I think there's benefits to both," Buehler said. "I think when you're playing well, you want to keep playing, and we're playing well. So I think you know this benefits us."

He has experience with the extra rest after spending years with the Dodgers, who experienced both the benefits and drawbacks of having time off before beginning their postseason run.

Their postseason begins Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT, when they will have an opportunity to prove that the team everyone has watched over the final stretch of the regular season is the real San Diego Padres. Michael King will get the start in Game 1.

"Being able to piece that all together in September, when it really, really matters, and when you're going for something," Sheets said. "Not only clinch a spot in the playoffs, but to work around and get home for an advantage. Credit to credit to this clubhouse because that was that was an incredible run."