CHICAGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres will spend the offseason wondering what went wrong.
The high-spending Padres were eliminated from postseason contention on Friday night despite a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox, a finality that prompted Manny Machado to give teammates a postgame pep talk.
“We did what we were supposed to do, but a little too late,” Machado said. “We’re going to grow from this. ... We’re capable of playing better baseball than we did this year.”
Juan Soto was batting in the seventh inning when the Miami Marlins completed a 4-3 come-from-behind win at Pittsburgh for their 83rd win, ensuring the Padres would not get one of the NL’s three wild-card berths.
Despite winning 12 of their last 14 games, the Padres (80-80) could not overcome a mostly sluggish performance by a star-filled team that started the season with the major leagues’ third-highest payroll at nearly $258 million. A 1-9 skid in early May dropped Padres below .500 — San Diego last had a winning record on May 10.
“We know we had a tough year and left a lot on the table,” manager Bob Melvin said. “All we can do at this point in time is win games and create a good feeling.”
Baseball’s three-highest spenders all failed to reach the postseason, with the New York Mets (72-86) and Yankees (81-79) also eliminated.
Nick Martinez (6-4) allowed two hits in five scoreless innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.
“It’s disappointing,” Martinez said. “There’s lessons to learn from this year; good lessons and bad lessons. Just remember this taste and come out with some hunger for next year.”
Yoán Moncada homered in the eighth off Robert Suarez and Carlos Perez hit his first big league homer in the ninth off Josh Hader, who finished for his 33rd save in 38 chances
Xander Bogaerts hit a fifth-inning sacrifice fly off Dylan Cease (7-9) , who allowed one run and four hits in five innings.
“Not getting the job done as much as you’d like is frustrating,” said Cease, last season’s AL Cy Young Award runner-up. “That was probably the hardest part.”
Trent Grisham had a two-run double in the sixth off Yohan Ramirez.
LOOMING MILESTONE
Chicago (61-99) needs two wins to avoid its fifth 100-loss season and second in six years.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: Bogaerts was struck on the left wrist and thumb by a Ramirez pitch in the sixth remained in the game. ... C Luis Campusano missed a fourth straight start after injuring his right ankle Sunday against St. Louis.
UP NEXT
San Diego’s Michael Wacha (13-4, 3.39 ERA) faces fellow RHP Mike Clevinger (9-8, 3.40) on Saturday night.
