Coming off a disappointing 2023 that saw them go 82-80, the Padres traded superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the Yankees, dealt for ace Dylan Cease, and then proceeded to win 93 games – their most since 1998 – under first-year manager Mike Shildt.

The Padres cruised to a sweep of the Braves in the wild-card round but lost to the Dodgers in five games in the NLDS. They lost a back-and-forth Game 1 before putting on a show in a raucous Game 2. They went up two games to one with a 6-5 victory at a rocking Petco Park in Game 3, but the Dodgers rallied back for shutout victories in Games 4 and 5.

The Los Angeles Dodgers sealed their spot in the National League Championship Series (NLCS) for the first time since 2021 as they clinched a 2-0 victory against the San Diego Padres to complete their series win.