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Padres loss to Mets may have put a pair of division rival's playoff hopes to bed

The Padres may have lost the game, but they won the long game.
ByWill Lockwood|
Sep 18, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) tags out San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) at second base trying to stretch a single into a double during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Sep 18, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) tags out San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (13) at second base trying to stretch a single into a double during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

While the Padres dropping two of three on the road against the New York Mets doesn’t really hurt them in particular, aside from falling further behind the Dodgers in the NL West race, it puts a pair of their division rivals, who were actually pulling for them, at a massive disadvantage for the rest of the season.

The San Francisco Giants sat only two games back of the final Wild Card, with the Mets, Diamondbacks, and Reds standing in their way. But with the Mets slated to play three games against the Padres, it meant that the Giants would need to be on the hype train around their division rivals, even though it would hurt to do so.

Fast forward to Thursday: the Giants dropped two of three against the Diamondbacks on the road, pushing them further out of contention. While they are not mathematically eliminated, they now have to travel to Los Angeles for a four-game series against the Dodgers.

With the Mets squeezing out a series win over the Padres, their remaining opponents are the Nationals, Cubs, and Marlins. The path to the postseason for them looks like a cakewalk, and it's just a matter of time before they officially clinch that final Wild Card spot.

Even with the Diamondbacks’ series win over the Giants, they have to go through a gauntlet of teams if they want any shot at the postseason. Starting Friday, they host the Phillies for three, followed by six combined against the Dodgers and Padres to wrap up the season.

The end result of the Padres/Mets series may have really sealed the fate of two NL West foes, as their path to the postseason becomes nearly impossible now. But it must feel good for New York to be one step closer to clinching, as if they had missed the playoffs altogether, they would absolutely be hearing it from their fans.

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