Toronto Star
· collected 2026-09-25 · by Beth Harris The Associated Press
Story summary
Shohei Ohtani, the two-way star of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is expected to return from the injured list on Wednesday after spending two weeks nursing right arm and left knee injuries. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed this, stating that unless something changes, Ohtani will be in the lineup. Although Ohtani's health has improved significantly since he went on the IL on September 11th, concerns remain about his full recovery before the postseason begins less than two weeks later.
In a match-up against the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, Ohtani made a strong return but was still not at his best form. He hit a single and drew a walk in four plate appearances during a 5-1 loss to San Diego that ended the Dodgers' 11-game home winning streak.
The Padres clinched their franchise-record third consecutive postseason berth on Thursday, beating the Dodgers 4-2 with help from RBI singles by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ethan Salas in the seventh inning. This victory narrowed the gap between the two teams for a top NL seed heading into October.
Written for “Dodgers Playoff Race Concerns” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Now, they want to win a World Series for the first time, having been there twice only to lose.
asserted
they → want → time
Manny Machado fielded Mookie Betts’ groundout to third base for the final out in a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night that clinched a playoff berth, and the celebration was on.
asserted
celebration → field → berth
“I was feeling nice,” Machado said in the cramped visitors’ clubhouse, his bare chest soaked with a mix of beer and Champagne.
asserted
chest → feel → beer
“We’re clinching!”
asserted
We → clinch → ?
The Padres (89-70) partied inside and then came out on the Dodger Stadium field in matching black T-shirts to pose for photos.
asserted
Padres → partie → photos
“I’ve never won a championship,” Machado said.
asserted
Machado → win → championship
“I know what winning looks like.
asserted
winning → know → what
It takes a whole village to do it and we’ve been showing it this year.
asserted
we → take → it
It’s awesome to see it being done.”
asserted
it → ’ → ?
Fernando Tatis Jr. stole two bases for the fourth time this season and extended his on-base streak to 18 games with a walk in the fourth against the Dodgers.
asserted
Jr. → steal → Dodgers
“Let’s celebrate!” he screamed above the din in the darkened clubhouse.
asserted
he → celebrate → clubhouse
“We’re here for a reason.
asserted
We → ’re → reason
We’re ready to compete.
asserted
We → ’re → ?
We’re here for the long run.”
asserted
We → ’re → run
The Padres made franchise history under rookie manager Craig Stammen, a surprise pick by general manager A.J. Preller to replace Mike Shildt, who suddenly retired less than two weeks after the Padres were eliminated by the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in the wild-card round last season.
asserted
Padres → make → round
The 42-year-old Stammen was hired less than three years after retiring as a player despite having no coaching or managerial experience at any level.
asserted
Stammen → hire → level
He’s been with the organization since 2017 and is best known for starting the deciding Game 3 of the 2020 Wild Card Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, who at the time were managed by Shildt.
asserted
who → start → Shildt
He pitched 1 2/3 innings as the first of nine pitchers the Padres used in the 4-0 win, which clinched their first postseason series victory since 1998.
asserted
which → pitch → 1998
The Padres popped half a game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 18 after Michael King struck out nine and Miguel Andujar hit a solo homer off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a 1-0 win at Petco Park on May 18.
uncertain
Andujar → pop → May
But they lost the next night and fell behind the two-time defending World Series champions by double digits by late June.
asserted
they → lose → June
They were 48-48 at the All-Star break and in third place in the division and have gone 41-22 since then.
asserted
They → go → division
They came up with a “pitching chaos” game plan to get them through a difficult period with their rotation, which is still thin without Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, who have missed the whole season.
asserted
who → come → season
Nick Pivetta only recently returned from a long stint on the IL.
asserted
Pivetta → return → IL
Pivetta fired 4 2/3 scoreless innings on Thursday in his eighth career start against the Dodgers, allowing four hits and striking out seven.
asserted
Pivetta → fire → seven
Perhaps the biggest pickup of the offseason was first baseman Ty France, who was signed to a minor league free agent deal and made the team out of spring training, his second stint with the Padres.
asserted
who → sign → Padres
He is from West Covina, California, and played for Tony Gwynn at San Diego State.
asserted
He → play → State
He’s hit a career-high 21 homers and played solid defense.
asserted
He → hit → defense
“I still felt like I had a lot left in the tank and a lot to offer to a team,” France said.
asserted
France → feel → team
“Very grateful and fortunate that it’s here.”
Tatis had an unfathomable home run drought to start the season.
asserted
Tatis → ’ → season
He didn’t hit his first home run until May 30 at Washington, his 56th game.
uncertain
He → hit → Washington
He’s now recorded his fourth 25-homer season and has 38 stolen bases.
asserted
He → record → bases
“We’re one, we’re one,” he said of the team unity.
asserted
he → ’re → unity
“It’s been that way for the whole year and we’re going to keep it that way.
asserted
we → go → it
Infielder Jake Cronenworth has come on strong after missing significant time after getting grazed on the jaw by a 96 mph fastball at Anaheim on April 18, and center fielder Jackson Merrill, like Tatis, is a 25-25 guy.
asserted
Merrill → come → Tatis
Stammen hasn’t been afraid to experiment with the starting lineup, including moving Tatis from right to second for several games after Cronenworth was hurt.
asserted
Cronenworth → experiment → games
Back in right field, Tatis had one of the biggest games of his career on Aug. 18 at the New York Mets when he robbed Francisco Lindor of a grand slam and hit two home runs.
asserted
he → have → runs
The Padres were 58-54 going into the trade deadline on Aug. 3 and Preller not only kept All-Star closer Mason Miller, but added starters Robbie Ray and Casey Mize.
asserted
Preller → go → Ray
“You can never count them out,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said this week.
asserted
Roberts → count → them
“They’re just too talented.”
asserted
They → ’re → ?
___
AP freelance writer Bernie Wilson in San Diego contributed to this report.
asserted
Wilson → contribute → report
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