NL Playoff Picture: 3 pretenders that have no chance at a World Series

3) NL playoff picture: The San Diego Padres are not unstoppable with Juan Soto

The Brewers might make a late-season comeback. The Phillies could stand their ground and make it to the postseason. The San Diego Padres are a puzzle.

Raise your cap to them for what they did at the trade deadline. Acquiring Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Josh Hader, and Brandon Drury was huge. They swung for the fences. This was going to be their year.

Things haven’t been so terrific since the trade deadline. They haven’t completely scuffed up their chins yet they don’t look any better either. Now knowing they’ll be without Fernando Tatis Jr. and some early struggles from many of the new guys, this is a team that could be headed toward a second straight season of collapsing.

It was only a few months ago when the Padres were, with a mostly limited starting lineup, actually a threat to the Dodgers in the National League West. Now they only hang out in the NL playoff chat because of the wild card spots. Specifically, the extra ones are what remain to give the team hope.

On paper, the Padres look like they could win a World Series. This game isn’t played in one-dimension on a flat surface. The game has factors no one can control. Out of control is the smooth path the Padres once seemed to have at making it deep in the postseason.

San Diego falls well behind the Dodgers, Braves, Mets, and even the St. Louis Cardinals right now. Those four clubs have a far better chance at a World Series parade. A club like the Padres is spinning a little too much out of control with no excuse or explanation to justify it.