{
  "id": 9579549,
  "title": "2026 NL Standings: Padres pass Cubs, Phillies for first Wild Card spot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/2026-nl-standings-padres-pass-cubs-phillies-for-first-wild-card-spot",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-24T16:01:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2026-nl-standings-padres-pass-160158622.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The San Diego Padres have climbed to the top of the NL Wild Card standings after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Wednesday. This victory has propelled them ahead of both the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, according to ESPN. Currently, the Padres boast a record of 88-70, while the Cubs and Phillies stand at 87-71. In addition, the Cubs suffered their second consecutive loss, falling to the Miami Marlins 3-2, and the Phillies also fell short against the Milwaukee Brewers, losing 4-1.\n\nRecently, the Padres have been on a winning streak, securing 8 of their last 10 games. In their match against the Dodgers, Manny Machado notched his 29th home run and contributed with three drives, while Fernando Tatis Jr. went 3-for-5. The team has now won 13 of their last 14 games overall.\n\nOn the other hand, the Cubs and Phillies have been struggling, splitting their last 10 games at 5-5 each. Earlier this week, the Cubs failed to win a crucial 12-inning game against the Marlins, giving up six runs in the top of the 12th. They also struggled with a batting average of just 1-for-18 in scoring position situations. Meanwhile, the Phillies failed to create any offensive opportunities on Wednesday, with starting pitcher Aaron Nola conceding four runs, thus ending an eight-game winning streak where he allowed two or fewer runs.\n\nNow, the Padres only need one more game to secure a playoff berth. They will wrap up their series against the Dodgers on Thursday before concluding the season with a match against the Arizona Diamondbacks.",
  "summary": "The San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on Wednesday. It was a solid win that put them atop the NL Wild Card Standings. The victory enabled the Padres to surpass the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, per ESPN. With the win, the Padres are 88-70, whereas the Cubs and Phillies are 87-71. Meanwhile, the Cubs lost their second […] The post 2026 NL Standings: Padres pass Cubs,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}