Padres postseason path could benefit from injury-hampered NL Central teams

The San Diego Padres are officially returning to the playoffs, but who will they face on the path to a potential World Series appearance? If the regular season were to end right now, San Diego would be matched up with the Chicago Cubs in a National League Wild Card series, the winner of which would go on to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

The season hasn’t ended yet, and it’s important not to look too far ahead if you are San Diego. Last night’s playoff-clinching win is also worth celebrating for a moment or two, as it’s the first time the Padres have made the postseason in consecutive years since 2005-06.

Even so, it’s difficult not to think about the fact that San Diego might have lucked out with its playoff draw.

Injuries to Brewers’ key arms could factor into potential NLDS for Padres

Presuming San Diego faces the Cubs in the wild-card series, the Padres will have a daunting mountain to climb before even thinking about a Brewers matchup.

Even with Kyle Tucker potentially missing time in the playoffs due to a lingering calf injury, the Cubs promise to be a wildly difficult team to eliminate. San Diego, which has dealt with injuries of its own, would need to be at its best to overcome Chicago and advance.

If the Padres do indeed find their way into the NLDS, however, Milwaukee might pose a less dangerous threat than once imagined. In truth, the Brewers have been the best team in Major League Baseball for months at this point, and they have an elite manager in Pat Murphy who will find ways to overcome injuries and keep destroying every team standing in the way of a World Series.

Milwaukee should still be considered among the favorites to win it all, but things aren’t ideal with their pitching staff at the moment. Brandon Woodruff is back on the Injured List (a heartbreaking development for a guy who worked so hard to get healthy), and no one knows for sure when he'll will return. Closer Trevor Megill — who has been lights-out for most of the year — suffered an elbow injury at a bad time and likely won’t be back until the playoffs, at which point you have to assume there will be some rust.

Then there’s rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski, who was seemingly shot out of a cannon to begin his MLB career with stunning success, only to hit a wall of late. Over Misiorowski’s last four starts, the right-hander has a 4.50 ERA, and opponents are slashing .280/ .357/ .480 against him. Milwaukee is well aware of the decline and is reportedly considering moving Misiorowski to the bullpen.

Not long ago, the Brewers were looking forward to having a deep and dangerously elite playoff pitching rotation, featuring both Misiorowski and Woodruff. The reality these days is much different for Milwaukee. That’s good news for whoever the Brewers draw in the NLDS, and the Padres, of course, believe it will be them.

It’s important to note, however, that despite the Brewers being potentially down two starters, their rotation still features two studs in Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priester. Padres hitters would still have their hands full. For now, San Diego can’t afford to think about Milwaukee beyond that.

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