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{
"articleTitle": "Padres' NLDS Run Ends After Failing to Capitalize on Key Chances",
"articleDescription": "The San Diego Padres were eliminated from the 2026 MLB playoffs after a 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLDS. The defeat ended San Diego's season despite their late-season surge and previous Wild Card victory.",
"articleBody": "
Game 4 Defeat Eliminates Padres
\n\nThe San Diego Padres' 2026 MLB playoffs campaign concluded with a 3-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series (NLDS). The result eliminated San Diego from postseason contention after the team had previously fallen behind 2-0 in the series.\n\nFollowing the game, hugs and high-fives were exchanged inside the Padres clubhouse alongside expressions of sadness. Manager Craig Stammen addressed the outcome by noting that every baseball season ends abruptly in the playoffs. He stated that \"this year it wasn't our chance\" to win the championship.\n\nPitcher Michael King commented on the series, saying it \"sucks\" that several factors did not fall in San Diego's favor throughout the entire competition. General Manager AJ Preller and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. also reflected on specific moments during the series, with Preller believing a hit by Manny Machado was going out of the park and Tatis expressing shock that it was not a home run.\n\nMissed Opportunities in Game 4
\n\nThe Padres' offense struggled to generate runs during Game 4, with mistakes proving costly. The team's performance resembled their early-season struggles rather than their late-form dominance. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Machado of a potential game-tying home run while Tatis was on first base.\n\nMachado described the play as \"unfortunate\" and admitted he should have hit the ball harder. The loss evoked memories of Game 4 of the 2024 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, where San Diego was shut out 8-0 after holding a 2-1 series lead before ultimately losing that series.\n\nKey moments that impacted the broader series included Ty France being ruled out on a ball that struck the stadium roof in Game 1 and Jackson Chourio delivering a walk-off, two-run single off Mason Miller in Game 2. Machado noted that while the team had opportunities, they did not come up with clutch hits, adding, \"that's just how the series came around.\"\n\nSeason Context and Late-Season Surge
\n\nThe Padres entered the playoffs after overcoming a difficult start to the regular season. They began 2026 with a 50-53 record but finished strong, posting a 41-18 record since mid-July. This surge earned them a postseason berth and allowed them to defeat the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round before facing Milwaukee in the NLDS.\n\nBefore Game 4, the Padres expressed hope that they could flip the script in San Diego and force a return trip to Milwaukee. Instead, the team appeared to have run out of gas as the ball did not bounce their way. The Sporting Tribune's Fernando Ramirez wrote that a moment of redemption turned into disbelief for the club as their
