SAN DIEGO -- For a second straight postseason, the Padres and Cubs will meet in the National League Wild Card Series. This time, it’ll be at Petco Park.
That became official after the Padres’ 10-7 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday night -- clinching their third straight 90-win season.
Here’s some instant reaction from Petco Park:
Playoff matchup set
The reeling Phillies were beaten by Tampa Bay earlier Saturday evening, locking in the Cubs as San Diego’s first-round opponent. From there, the Padres needed a win over Arizona to ensure home-field advantage.
The game was more or less a blueprint for what everything might look like in the postseason. Manager Craig Stammen went to his bullpen early. That bullpen was mostly excellent (before Mason Miller endured a rare rough outing, allowing three runs in the ninth). The Padres’ offense made the Diamondbacks pay for every mistake.
Another sellout Petco Park crowd did its part, too. The ballpark was packed early, with gold rally towels given to all fans in attendance. Felt like a playoff preview.
The real thing starts with Game 1 against the Cubs on Tuesday.
Milestone Manny
The Padres trailed by a run in the fourth when Manny Machado went the other way for a three-run homer, his 30th of the season. The moment proved decisive, and the Padres rolled from there.
It marked the eighth 30-homer season of Machado’s career and his fourth with San Diego -- moving him into a tie with Adrián González for the most 30-homer seasons in club history.
The homer was also the 399th of Machado’s career. Only one player has hit career home run No. 400 with the Padres -- Mike Piazza in 2006. Piazza might soon have company.
Buehler or Ray for Game 3?
Don’t lose sight of the value Walker Buehler provided this season. He made 32 starts and helped stabilize a shaky Padres rotation. His 4.63 ERA doesn’t really do him justice. Outside of a couple starts in early July, Buehler was reliable all season.
But he made his final start of the regular season on Saturday, and wasn’t all that sharp. Buehler allowed four runs (three earned) over 3 2/3 innings. So, now the important question: Where does Buehler fit in a playoff rotation?
Michael King has already been tabbed for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, and Nick Pivetta is lined up to start a game (though there’s been no announcement on that yet). That could leave a potential Game 3 decision down to Buehler and Robbie Ray.
Obviously, there are other considerations -- namely what happens in Games 1 and 2. But Buehler has been hit hard by the Cubs this season, while Ray pitched five scoreless innings against them on June 5 as a member of the Giants -- and might be a better matchup for the lefties at the top of the Cubs’ lineup.
In any case, Buehler has earned the right to factor into the Padres’ playoff plans. Whether that’s as the No. 3 starter or the No. 4 starter (and an NLDS start, if the Padres get there?), that remains to be seen.