As the San Diego Padres head home to the friendly confines of Petco Park for Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers it would behoove them to take a page out of Douglas Adams’ sci-fi comedy series “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
asserted
it → head → Galaxy
That’s the phrase famously written on the cover of Adams’ fictional guide and it needs to become the mantra of this Padres team if they want to make history and get back into this series.
asserted
they → ’ → series
The Padres do not need to reinvent themselves.
asserted
Padres → need → themselves
They don’t need a closed-door meeting, a fiery speech from Craig Stammen or some dramatic lineup shakeup designed to jolt a season suddenly dangling over the edge.
asserted
They → need → edge
They need to do something much harder when panic is pounding on the door.
Nothing.
asserted
panic → need → door
In fact, keep everything as normal as you possibly can.
uncertain
you → keep → everything
The Padres return to Petco Park trailing the Brewers 2-0 in the NLDS after two losses that felt less like baseball games and more like elaborate ways for the universe to torture San Diego.
asserted
universe → return → Diego
In Game 1, the Padres led 2-0 before Milwaukee rallied.
asserted
Milwaukee → lead → Game
Then, with San Diego down to its final two outs, Ty France seemingly launched a go-ahead two-run homer off Trevor Megill — only for the baseball to strike a cable hanging from the roof at American Family Field and fall back into play for an out.
asserted
baseball → launch → out
Twenty-four hours later, San Diego somehow found an even crueler way to lose.
asserted
Diego → find → way
The Padres carried a 3-2 lead into the ninth with Mason Miller, baseball’s most terrifying closer, on the mound.
asserted
Padres → carry → mound
Miller had been pumping triple-digit fastballs past Milwaukee hitters all weekend and touched 104 mph in the bottom of the ninth.
asserted
Miller → pump → ninth
But after Miller issued three walks, the Brewers loaded the bases for Jackson Chourio.
asserted
Brewers → issue → Chourio
Chourio, initially overwhelmed by Miller’s velocity, survived long enough to adjust.
asserted
Chourio → overwhelm → velocity
With two outs and two strikes, he lined a 102 mph fastball up the middle for a two-run walk-off single.
asserted
he → line → single
That’s not one, but two gut punches to the Padres in two games.
asserted
That → ’ → games
But here’s the silver lining for San Diego: the Padres could have and arguably should have won both of those games.
uncertain
Padres → ’ → games
That is why Stammen shouldn’t walk into his clubhouse Tuesday and pretend something is broken and in desperate need of fixing.
asserted
something → walk → fixing
His message should be simple: You’ve already shown you can beat these guys three times in a row.
asserted
you → show → row
San Diego swept Milwaukee at Petco Park in August.
asserted
Diego → sweep → August
The Padres have won 28 of their past 34 games there, including a staggering 23-5 home record across August and September, including their wild-card sweep against the Cubs.
asserted
Padres → win → Cubs
So forget the fact that teams that win the first two home games of a Division Series have gone on to win 33 of 36 times.
asserted
that → forget → times
Forget that 92% figure that is staring San Diego straight in the face.
asserted
that → forget → face
History isn’t taking the field on Tuesday.
asserted
History → take → Tuesday
And suddenly, the pitching matchups look much friendlier for the Padres.
asserted
matchups → look → Padres
Pivetta, the ace of San Diego’s 2025 staff, gets Game 3 against Dustin May.
uncertain
Pivetta → get → May
Survive that and the Padres can turn to Walker Buehler or Robbie Ray in Game 4.
asserted
Padres → survive → Game
Win again, and Michael King — dominant in both of his postseason starts — could be waiting for Jacob Misiorowski in a winner-take-all Game 5 when all the pressure will be on Milwaukee.
uncertain
pressure → win → Milwaukee
Yes, Milwaukee owns baseball’s best record.
asserted
Milwaukee → own → record
And yes, the Brewers’ bullpen has been suffocating San Diego through two games, but the Padres bullpen is better.
asserted
bullpen → suffocate → games
Worry about him when you see him.
asserted
you → worry → him
Starting on Tuesday night, the Padres season needs to be nine innings long.
asserted
season → start → night
It needs to be taken inning by inning, pitch by pitch.
asserted
It → need → pitch
Win the small battles, focus on the present moment, and you will win the war.
asserted
you → win → war
Win Tuesday and suddenly it’s 2-1.
asserted
it → win → Tuesday
Win Wednesday and all that pressure San Diego carried home gets packed into Milwaukee’s luggage for the flight back to Wisconsin.
asserted
Diego → win → Wisconsin
Baseball players love talking about having short memories.
asserted
players → love → memories
Now would be a wonderful time to prove it.
asserted
time → prove → it
Forget Miller losing command at precisely the worst possible moment.
asserted
Miller → forget → moment
Because desperation has a funny way of convincing good teams they suddenly need to become somebody else.
asserted
they → have → teams
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
