BREAKING: Padres’ Push for Franchise Win Record Derailed by Giants in 6–5 Nail-Biter; Bogaerts Injured, Darvish Set to Return

The San Diego Padres’ late-season surge took a sharp hit on Wednesday night as they fell 6–5 to the San Francisco Giants in a tightly contested divisional showdown at Petco Park. The loss not only stalled San Diego’s climb toward a potential franchise win record, but also brought a troubling development: veteran infielder Xander Bogaerts exited the game early due to injury. Meanwhile, ace pitcher Yu Darvish’s imminent return offers a glimmer of hope as the Padres navigate a crucial stretch of their playoff push.

Trailing for much of the game, the Padres mounted a determined comeback in the bottom of the ninth, trimming a three-run deficit to one thanks to a pair of clutch RBI hits by Ha-Seong Kim and Jurickson Profar. With the tying run on base and momentum in their favor, the Padres seemed poised to pull off another late-inning miracle. But Giants closer Camilo Doval slammed the door, inducing a game-ending groundout from Jake Cronenworth to seal the victory for San Francisco.

The loss snapped San Diego’s four-game winning streak and left them stranded at 77 wins — just shy of the pace needed to break the club’s all-time single-season record of 98 victories set in 1998. While the record remains technically attainable, the path now requires near-perfect execution over the final weeks of the season.

More concerning than the loss itself was the sight of Bogaerts walking off the field in the sixth inning after taking a hard swing and immediately wincing in pain. The four-time All-Star was holding his left wrist and did not return to action. Team trainers escorted him to the clubhouse for further evaluation, and while no official diagnosis was given postgame, Padres manager Mike Shildt described the injury as “concerning.”

Bogaerts had been heating up at the plate recently after a slow start to the season, and his absence could pose a major challenge as the Padres try to stay in the National League Wild Card race.

San Francisco took control of the game early, capitalizing on defensive miscues and shaky command from Padres starter Matt Waldron. The Giants scored four runs in the first three innings, including a booming two-run homer by Michael Conforto and a key RBI single by LaMonte Wade Jr. Waldron struggled with location, issuing three walks and allowing seven hits before being lifted in the fifth inning.

The Padres’ bullpen performed admirably to keep the game close, with rookie Jeremiah Estrada striking out the side in the seventh and veteran Steven Wilson tossing a scoreless eighth. However, the Giants tacked on what would prove to be the game-winning run in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Thairo Estrada off Robert Suarez.

In the aftermath of the loss, the Padres received at least one piece of encouraging news: Yu Darvish is reportedly on track to rejoin the starting rotation within the next week. The 37-year-old right-hander, sidelined since early May with inflammation in his throwing elbow, completed a successful bullpen session earlier this week and could make a rehab start as soon as this weekend.

Yu’s progression has been solid,” pitching coach Ruben Niebla said before Wednesday’s game. “His velocity is good, command is improving, and he’s feeling strong. We’re optimistic he’ll be back sooner rather than later.”

Darvish’s return could not come at a more critical time. The Padres’ rotation, already taxed by injuries and inconsistent performances, will need a stabilizing force as the postseason race intensifies.

With fewer than 30 games remaining, the Padres find themselves in a precarious position. Though still in the hunt for a Wild Card berth, they must now overcome the potential loss of Bogaerts, maintain a high level of play, and rely on the timely return of Darvish to stay afloat.

Their next challenge comes in the form of a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks — another Wild Card contender — that could very well define the course of their season. If San Diego wants to avoid another October disappointment, they’ll need contributions from every corner of the roster, along with a little bit of luck.