Padres' Best Plan to Save Season: Do Nothing

As the San Diego Padres head home to Petco Park trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 in the National League Division Series, their best strategy might be to adopt the philosophy of "Don't panic." This mantra, famously found in Douglas Adams' "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," needs to become the team's guiding principle if they aim to make history and rebound in the series.

The Padres do not need a radical overhaul, a closed-door meeting, a fiery speech, or a dramatic lineup shakeup. Instead, they must focus on maintaining normalcy, a task that can be more challenging than implementing change when facing pressure. This approach is particularly relevant after two losses that have felt particularly agonizing.

In Game 1, the Padres held a 2-0 lead before Milwaukee rallied. In the ninth inning, with two outs, a potential go-ahead two-run homer by Ty France appeared to be heading out of the park, only to strike a cable hanging from the roof of American Family Field and fall back into play, resulting in an out. The following day, San Diego held a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning with closer Mason Miller on the mound. However, after Miller issued three walks, the bases became loaded for Jackson Chourio. Chourio, after initially struggling with Miller's velocity, managed to line a 102 mph fastball for a two-run walk-off single, handing the Padres another gut-wrenching loss.

Despite these setbacks, the Padres have demonstrated they can compete with and defeat the Brewers. They swept Milwaukee at Petco Park in August and have won 28 of their last 34 home games, including a dominant 23-5 record in August and September, and a wild-card sweep of the Cubs. History suggests teams that win the first two home games of a Division Series often advance, but history is not playing on the field.

The pitching matchups may now appear more favorable for San Diego. Nick Pivetta is slated to start Game 3 against Milwaukee's Dustin May. Should the Padres win that game, they could turn to Walker Buehler or Robbie Ray in Game 4. Michael King, who has performed dominantly in his postseason starts, could then be available for a potential winner-take-all Game 5 against Jacob Misiorowski.

While acknowledging the strength of Milwaukee's team and bullpen, the Padres' own bullpen is considered superior. The key for San Diego will be to focus on the present, inning by inning, pitch by pitch. Winning Tuesday's game would shift the series momentum and place pressure on the Brewers.

Baseball players often speak of the importance of having short memories, a trait that would serve the Padres well now. Forgetting the errant bounce off the roof, Chourio's walk-off hit, and the late-inning loss in Game 2 is crucial. Desperation can sometimes lead teams to try to become something they are not, but the Padres have shown they can win in their current form. They were on the verge of winning both of the first two games.

Therefore, no overhaul is necessary. The path forward involves trusting the team that has dominated Petco Park and winning one game at a time. Securing a win on Tuesday would make the series 2-1, and another victory on Wednesday would bring the series back to Milwaukee with the pressure shifted entirely onto the Brewers.