Padres Xander Bogaerts: 'We've Still Got a Chance', and the Schedule Might Back That Up

The Padres do not control their own destiny... but they can certainly help over the next few weeks.

The Padres clubhouse felt great ending the month of July. After rattling off 8 wins in 13 games to end the month, the team was sitting just 3 games under .500 and within striking distance of an NL Wild Card spot. It was enough for the front office to reward the club by adding talent at the trade deadline instead of selling a rebuilding for the offseason.

Since then it's been another rocky road for Bob Melvin and company.

After starting August with a pair of wins against Colorado, the Padres ran into a Dodgers buzzsaw and have now lost 5 of 6 games, dropping to 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. Coming off a day off on Thursday, the team may be primed to climb back up the standings thanks in part to a weak schedule ahead.

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts saw the positives in the upcoming slate of games.

“Listen, this is it. We’ve still got a chance," Bogaerts said on Wednesday. "We don’t control our destiny; we’re not in first place. But we do control it a little bit, because we’re playing the teams that are right above us. That’s at least a luxury we have, although it’s been bad. We’re playing the guys that are in front of us. We know what’s ahead of us. We know the task might not be easy. But this is a team that talent-wise, we have everything that we want.”

Via MLB.com

The Padres open a 3 game series against the Diamondbacks today. The D-backs are ahead of the Friars in the standings but have lost 19 of their last 25 games and 8 in a row to open the month of August. 

Those two clubs will face off again the following weekend for 4 games at Petco. After that, the Miami Marlins, who currently hold the final Wild Card spot in the National League, come to San Diego for 3 games.

After a long players-only meeting following a sweep by the Mariners, the Padres need to hit the reset button and look to maximize the 47 games left on the regular season calendar.

It starts with Blake Snell on the mound tonight.