Joe Musgrove Gets Candid About Padres Watching Scoreboard For Other Teams in Playoff Chase

Will the Padres secure the top wildcard spot?

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With the season winding down, the San Diego Padres are in the thick of a tight race for the National League playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers are on pace to win the NL West, meaning the Padres are likely seeking a wildcard spot.

Thanks to Friday's 5-0 shutout victory over the San Francisco Giants, the Padres re-claimed the top wildcard spot in the NL. Padres' starter Dylan Cease shut out the Giants over six innings, allowing four hits, two walks, and no earned runs while striking out 10 in a crucial victory for the Padres.

The Padres have gone back and forth with NL West rival Arizona Diamondbacks for the top wildcard spot as of late. The Padres, with an 84-65 record, have a 1.5 lead over the Diamondbacks, who hold an 82-65 record. Along with the Padres and Diamondbacks, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves each have over 80 wins already. The Mets hold 81 wins, while the Braves hold 81 wins.

Due to the tight race, the Padres have been keeping track of the scoreboard as they season winds down.

“If people say they aren’t [scoreboard watching],” Joe Musgrove, via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, “they’re full of (expletive).”

While the Padres might be keeping a closer eye on scores across the National League, they haven't changed up their game plan. They still need to record runs and win games.

“I don’t think it changes a whole lot about how we’re approaching it. … At this point in the year, we know to get in we’ve got to win as many games as possible," Musgrove said.

The Padres have 13 games remaining on the schedule, including the rest of their series against the Giants, and series against the Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, and Dodgers before their final series of the regular season.

The race for the top wildcard spot could come down to the final three games of the 2024 season when the Padres and Diamondbacks face off in that final three-game series to close out the season. The Diamondbacks got the best of the Padres during their most recent series at the beginning of July, taking a 2-1 series win over the Padres.

After disappointingly missing the playoffs during the 2023 season, the Padres are looking to make a run this season like they did in 2022. While expectations were not high for the Padres heading into the season, they are in a position to make a splash this season.