Built for October, Padres plan on World Series return after 28 years

SAN DIEGO — The last time the Chicago Cubs laid eyes on the San Diego Padres they had to refrain from laughing aloud in their faces.

And the Cubs humiliated the Padres, winning 23-3, with No. 9 hitter Dansby Swanson hitting three home runs and driving in eight runs, handing the Padres their worst loss in the 58-year history of the franchise.

It was the Cubs’ fifth consecutive victory, and the Padres’ fifth consecutive loss, leaving the Padres’ season on the brink.

Well, here they are meeting again, and, oh, how so much has changed.

The Padres these days just so happen to be the hottest team in baseball, winning 17 of their last 20 games, to not only storm into the postseason, but clinch the top wild-card spot, hosting the Cubs in the best-of-three wild-card series.

It’s a rematch of the wild-card series a year ago, only this time the games will all be played at raucous Petco Park and not Wrigley Field.

The Padres (91-71) are in the postseason for the third consecutive year, fifth time in the last seven years, and believing this time around they could go where they have never gone before in franchise history.

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/