Padres News: Division-Rival Clubhouse's Winning Streak Should Serve as Motivation for Friars

Hopefully it was a wake up call!

After dropping three of four games to the San Francisco Giants, the San Diego Padres know that they have some ground to make up. It has been a slow start to the season for the Friars, and seeing the Giants win as they have should be a wake-up call for San Diego.

The Padres have a loaded team but sit in fourth place within the NL West. They are behind the young Arizona Diamondbacks, Giants, and the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. Entering the year, many expected this division to only be a two-team race with the Dodgers and Padres. But there is more competition than expected, and time is starting to run out for the Padres. Star outfielder Juan Soto knows this all too well.

“We’ve got to start winning games, like right now,” Juan Soto said. “We can’t wait to the last game of the season to say, ‘Oh, now we go.’ We gotta go from now.”

Per The San Diego Union-Tribune

Gary Sanchez with his 7th HR of the year gets the Padres on top in the first! pic.twitter.com/YfQRISw8NI

— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) June 22, 2023

San Diego came into the year with lofty expectations, and so far, they haven't lived up to them. They are a few games under .500 and a ways away from the postseason standings. If they want to get to October, things need to change and fast.

Manny Machado hits the Padres second 3 run HR of the game! 🚀

(Via @Padres)
pic.twitter.com/5Mig4IxsAZ

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 22, 2023

With the talent that they have, there is no reason as to why they have struggled. But they are hoping that their rout of the Giants in the final game of the series will serve as motivation going forward.

“After three tough losses, nobody went home too terribly happy last night,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “So it was good to see an early response.”

Per The San Diego Union-Tribune

With so many talented teams in the National League, San Diego needs to start picking up wins. They have a long road ahead of them but have the players to make a run. The hunt for October starts now otherwise, they will be left to sit in an offseason as one of the biggest disappointments in recent memory.