Padres Climb in Latest National Power Rankings

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jun 27, 2024

Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres followed up a five-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak. They have won seven of their last eight and are making a push for a Wild Card spot.

In the most recent set of Newsweek's Major League Baseball Power Rankings, the Padres moved up one spot to No. 12, trailing the Minnesota Twins and ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The week was highlighted by a comeback win on Monday followed by a benches-clearing fracas in the first inning on Tuesday. Both games were against the Washington Nationals.

On Monday, Jurickson Profar capped a wild four-run, 10th-inning rally with a walk-off single. He celebrated in the infield grass, gesturing toward the Nationals dugout. Profar claimed to be pumping up the crowd, and Washington took offense.

When Profar stepped into the box for his first at-bat on Tuesday, he was greeted with words from Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz. Manny Machado, who was on deck, stepped between the two but it was too late. The dugouts and bullpens had already cleared.

The game went back-and-forth but it was Profar who got the last laugh when he launched a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning.

The two teams entered the series separated by half a game for the final spot. Washington was swept out of town and pushed further down in the standings.

More important than the power rankings, the Padres entered Thursday's off-day gaining in the National League Wild Card standings. They're up 1.5 games on the New York Mets, their closest competition in the race for the final playoff berth in the NL.