September 21, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (right) hits Chicago White Sox designated hitter Brian Ramos (44 years old) at second base ) after the elimination, the ball was thrown to first base to complete the double play and end the game in the top of the eighth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images When the San Diego Padres host the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, they will be looking for a series sweep that would bring both teams closer to a fate that seems certain for both sides.
San Diego (89-66) can clinch a National League playoff berth by winning the game and seeing the Atlanta Braves lose to the Miami Marlins on Sunday. The Padres enter play Sunday two games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League's first wild-card spot and three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West.
“Everything we talked about on the road was pretty much right there,” San Diego shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. “It's right in front of us. We have to come here and take care of business. We can't control what other teams do. But, I mean, you've seen the finish line.”
As a member of the 2013 and 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox, Bogaerts has crossed several finish lines ahead of others. He did his part to put the Padres on the right path to the playoffs with a 6-2 victory on Saturday night, hitting a two-run homer that set the stage.
San Diego's seventh win in eight games also reflected stronger pitching. Allowed just 12 runs in that span, with three shutouts and six quality starts. One of those came from Sunday's starter, right-hander Yu Darvish (6-3, 3.21 ERA).
In his most recent game on Monday night, Darvish threw six scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over Houston, allowing three hits and two runs, while striking out three. Darvish has made seven career starts against the White Sox and is 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA and 49 runs in 45 1/3 innings.
The version of the White Sox that Darvish will face has struggled to score all year and has struggled in this series, scoring just two runs in each of the first two games of the series. Their record fell to 36-119 on Saturday night, nowhere close to tying the 1962 New York Mets for the most of any modern MLB team.
Their 119 losses tied the 2003 Detroit Tigers for the most losses in American League history.
Interim head coach Grady Sizemore said the rest of the team's season isn't about results, even though they are on the verge of setting a record that no team wants to own.
“That's the battle, having a good mentality and trying to stay positive,” he said. “Obviously, we do want to win. It's a big priority for everyone.”
Rookie right-hander Sean Burke (1-0, 2.25) will get a call from Chicago. His most recent appearance came on September 15, when he earned his first Major League Baseball win in a 4-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Burke allowed two runs on five hits in five innings, allowing two runs and striking out five.
The White Sox were in the midst of a rare three-game winning streak at the time and then suffered a four-game losing streak that left them facing one of the most infamous records in sports.
“Nobody was talking about it in the clubhouse at all,” outfielder Gavin Sheets said. “Here's how we address this issue and what we learn from it and make sure this never happens again.”
–Scene-level media