Padres begin crucial NL West stretch vs. Dodgers and Diamondbacks (June 9–19)

The San Diego Padres are staring down a pivotal stretch in what’s shaping up to be a three-team battle royale atop the NL West. As of now, the Padres sit just one game behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, with the San Francisco Giants lurking at the same distance. What happens over the next ten games could easily determine who will be in the driver’s seat as the season gains momentum toward the All-Star break.

Starting Monday, the Padres will square off with the Dodgers in seven of their next ten games, a potential swing of seismic magnitude in the standings. Sandwiched between the two Dodgers series is a three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks — a team that, while inconsistent on the mound, features one of the more dangerous offenses in the league. 

While it’s still considered early in the season, this stretch has the feel of September baseball. Every game, every inning, and every pitch could tip the balance in a loaded division with very little breathing room.

Padres enter a defining 10-Game stretch that could shape the NL west

Keep in mind this isn’t just about what the Padres can gain — it’s about what they could lose. Should they falter over these next ten games, they could find themselves slipping from contention into the chaos of the Wild Card race, a dangerous place to be in the National League where parity reigns and nothing is guaranteed. With only one more series left against the Dodgers in August, this may be the Padres’ last real shot to make a direct leap over their rivals.

The good news — at least for the Padres? On paper, the pitching matchups tilt in San Diego’s favor for this first set against L.A.:

• Game 1: Dustin May (3–4, 4.09 ERA) vs. Nick Pivetta (6–2, 3.16 ERA)
• Game 2: Bobby Miller (0–0, 12.60 ERA) vs. Dylan Cease (1–5, 4.72 ERA)
• Game 3: Justin Wrobleski (1–2, 7.20 ERA) vs. Randy Vásquez (3–4, 3.69 ERA)

The Dodgers are just 3–5 so far in June, and their rotation appears vulnerable. This is the moment for the Padres to strike. Take at least four of the seven from Los Angeles, handle business against Arizona, and San Diego could very well be sitting atop the division by June 20th.

Fail to capitalize, however, and this could be the stretch fans and analysts point to as the moment the 2025 Padres let the division slip through their fingers. The path is there. Now it’s up to San Diego to walk it.