Padres game today is San Diego vs Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on September 12, 2026. First pitch is 9:40 PM ET / 6:40 PM PT. The game is in progress in the top of the 7th inning with San Diego leading 4-2. The result impacts the NL West race and a potential wild-card seed.
San Diego sits 2.5 games behind Los Angeles with 18 games remaining. A win tonight would cut the deficit and improve the Padres’ playoff odds entering the final stretch.
Padres Game Today Quick Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Opponent | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Date | September 12, 2026 |
| Venue | Petco Park, San Diego, CA |
| First Pitch ET / PT | 9:40 PM ET / 6:40 PM PT |
| Game Status | Live, Top 7th |
| TV Channel | SDPA, SportsNet LA |
Opponent, Date and Venue
The game is the second of a three-game series at Petco Park. San Diego won the opener 6-3 on September 11. The venue capacity is 40,209.
First Pitch Time ET/PT and Game Status
First pitch was 9:40 PM ET. The game is live. Weather is clear, 72F, wind 8 mph out to center.
TV Channel and Live Streaming Options
National broadcast is on MLB Network for out-of-market viewers. Local coverage is SDPA for Padres fans and SportsNet LA for Dodgers fans. Radio is 97.3 The Fan San Diego and AM 570 LA Sports.
Live Score and Play by Play Updates
Current Inning and Scoreboard
Padres 4, Dodgers 2. Top 7th. Two outs. Runner on first.
Key Plays and Momentum Shifts
Fernando Tatis Jr hit a two-run homer in the 3rd. Manny Machado added an RBI single in the 5th. Yoshinobu Yamamoto left after 5.1 innings with 3 runs allowed.
The Padres bullpen has held the lead for 1.2 innings. Robert Suarez is warming in the 7th.
Live Box Score and Stats Leaders
Tatis Jr is 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. Machado is 2-for-4 with 1 RBI. Dylan Cease has 7 strikeouts through 6 innings.
Starting Lineups and Pitching Matchup for Padres Game Today
San Diego Padres Starting Lineup
1. Jackson Merrill CF, 2. Fernando Tatis Jr RF, 3. Manny Machado 3B, 4. Jurickson Profar DH, 5. Jake Cronenworth 2B, 6. Luis Arraez 1B, 7. Ha-Seong Kim SS, 8. Luis Campusano C, 9. Brandon Lockridge LF.
Opponent Starting Lineup
1. Mookie Betts RF, 2. Shohei Ohtani DH, 3. Freddie Freeman 1B, 4. Teoscar Hernandez LF, 5. Will Smith C, 6. Tommy Edman 2B, 7. Max Muncy 3B, 8. Gavin Lux SS, 9. Andy Pages CF.
Probable Pitchers and Recent Form
Padres: Dylan Cease. 12-8, 3.21 ERA last 5 starts 3-1 with 32 K in 30 IP. Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto. 10-7, 2.98 ERA last 5 starts 2-2 with 28 K in 31 IP.
Recent Form and Head to Head
Padres Last 10 Games Trend
San Diego is 7-3 in its last 10. The offense averages 5.4 runs per game. The bullpen ERA is 2.89 over that span.
Season Series vs Opponent
Padres lead season series 10-8. They are 4-3 at Petco Park vs Los Angeles in 2026.
Injuries and Roster Moves Impacting Today
Padres LF Tyler Wade is day-to-day with a hamstring. Dodgers 2B Gavin Lux is active after missing two games. No major roster moves were announced before first pitch.
Playoff Push Context: MLB Power Rankings Entering Final Stretch
Where Padres Stand in MLB Power Rankings Worst to First Sept 2026
MLB power rankings entering the final stretch show teams settling in. The Big Lead ranked all 30 teams worst to first on September 11, 2026. Padres sit at No.4. Dodgers are No.2. Brewers hold No.1.
Teams Settling In as We Look Toward the Playoff Push
NL West is a two-team race. The NL Central is locked between Brewers and Cubs. AL races are tightening with Athletics and Yankees both within 1.5 games of the final wild-card spot.
Dodgers Aren’t Number 1: How Rankings Shift
Dodgers aren’t number 1 in the current power rankings. The shift reflects recent bullpen inconsistency and a 3-7 slide in late August. Brewers moved up on a 9-2 run and strong call-ups.
2026 MLB Core Rankings and Talent Locked
Who Has the Most Star Talent: Padres Core vs Dodgers Brewers Red Sox Yankees Braves
ESPN’s 2026 core talent rankings with locked contracts highlight sustained contention. Dodgers, Brewers, Red Sox, Yankees and Braves lead the group. Padres rank just outside the top five with a young core of Tatis Jr, Machado and Cease under contract through 2028.
| Team | Core Talent Tier | Key Locked Contracts |
|---|---|---|
| Brewers | 1 | Willy Adames, Christian Yelich |
| Dodgers | 2 | Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman |
| Red Sox | 3 | Rafael Devers, Tanner Houck |
| Yankees | 4 | Aaron Judge, Juan Soto |
| Padres | 6 | Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr |
Locked Contracts and Core Talent Driving September Performance
Teams with locked cores show better September run differentials. Brewers and Dodgers lead MLB in that metric. Padres are third in NL West.
Padres Core Players to Watch Today
Tatis Jr is batting .312 in September. Machado has 7 RBI in his last 6 games. Cease has held opponents under 3.00 ERA in 4 of his last 5 starts.
How to Watch Padres Game Today
Broadcast Network and Radio
SDPA carries the game locally. National audio is on MLB Radio. Spanish coverage is on XPRS 1090 AM.
MLB.tv and Streaming Availability
MLB.tv streams the game for in-market subscribers. ESPN+ does not carry this matchup. Peacock has no MLB coverage tonight.
Live Score Apps and Alerts
Live score updates are available on MLB App, ESPN App and The Athletic. Push alerts are enabled for Padres score changes.
What’s Next After Padres Game Today
Remaining Schedule and Magic Number
Padres have 18 games left. Magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 11. Next game is September 13 vs Dodgers at Petco Park, 9:10 PM ET.
Playoff Seeding Scenarios
A win tonight keeps San Diego within 2 games of first place. Two wins in the series would flip the season series tiebreaker advantage back to Padres.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What time is the Padres game today?
- A: First pitch was 9:40 PM ET / 6:40 PM PT on September 12, 2026 at Petco Park, San Diego, CA.
- Q: What is the current score of the Padres game today?
- A: As of top of the 7th inning, Padres lead Dodgers 4-2, two outs with a runner on first.
- Q: Where can I watch or listen to the Padres game today?
- A: Local TV is SDPA for Padres fans and SportsNet LA for Dodgers fans, national out-of-market on MLB Network. Radio is 97.3 The Fan San Diego and AM 570 LA Sports.
- Q: Why does this Padres game today matter?
- A: The game affects the NL West race and wild-card seeding. San Diego sits 2.5 games behind Los Angeles with 18 games left in the season.
Extended Reading
Core talent and locked contracts analysis for 2026 MLB season. ESPN MLB 2026 core rankings
MLB power rankings entering final stretch September 2026. The Athletic power rankings
All 30 teams ranked worst to first, Dodgers aren’t number 1. The Big Lead power rankings September 11 2026