The San Diego Padres finally got past the Los Angeles Dodgers and are now four games away from their third World Series appearance in franchise history. But to get there, the Padres must take down the Philadelphia Phillies, a team that bounced back from being under-.500 five months ago.
So How Do the Padres Do It?
NBC 7 sports anchor Derek Togerson says the Friars — the team that pulled off the second-biggest upset in MLB postseason history – need to do the following three things if they’re going to punch a ticket to the 2022 World Series.
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Don’t Lose Momentum
While beating the LA Dodgers was a huge emotional lift for the Padres, it was only one step toward the ultimate goal of bringing a championship to a city that has been patiently waiting for decades. Togerson says the Padres must not let their foot off the pedal. Yes, LA tormented the Padres for a long time and cast a big shadow over San Diego, but this is not the time to celebrate slaying the dragon.
It’s All About the Bullpen
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The Padres bullpen has been dominant this postseason, allowing only one run in 16 innings to the once-fantastic Dodgers offense. The rotation has fallen into place with Luis Garcia in the sevent inning, Robert Suarez in the eighth and, of course, Padres closer Josh Hader. Statically, the Padres are the better bullpen team. So, if they continue their excellence and keep the pitch count low in the late innings, their chances of winning increase.
Win the Long-Ball Battle
The Phillies had 52 more home runs than the Padres in the regular season. But in the postseason, the Padres have the weight. The Friars have hit nine playoff home runs while the Phillies have only hit six. Not to mention that Juan Soto has yet to hit a long ball, and the question is not if, but when, he will do what he does best. If the Padres continue to win the long ball and limit the Phillies stars from influencing the game, San Diego might just find itself in the World Series this year.https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/san-diego-padres/painting-san-diego-brown-and-gold-where-to-find-padres-murals/3074047/
Now … Prediction Time!
Togerson said the two teams match up well against each other. The difference maker, he thinks, is in the dugout: the manager. Togerson believes, in that department, San Diego has the edge, with veteran manager Bob Melvin, who has more than 1,000 victories on his resume. And when it comes to the postseason, Melvin has a lot more experience than the Phillies manager, Rob Thompson. So, when it comes down to who’s going to make the right decisions under pressure, Togerson said, he trusts Melvin to lead the Padres to a series win.
