MLB power rankings: Back to home sweet home

The goal should be pretty clear now.

Don’t just get into the playoffs. Get home games.

Because the Padres just haven’t been very good on the road.

A 2-4 road trip dropped the team to 33-39 away from Petco Park and pushed the Padres two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West.

The Padres currently have a 99.4% chance to make the playoffs, as they are the current No. 2 wild-card team in the NL and have a three-game lead over the Mets, the current No. 3 wild-card team, and a seven-game lead on the Reds, the closest team on the outside looking in.

It would take a disaster to knock the Padres out of the postseason field, but their chances of advancing would look a heck of a lot better if they could host games at Petco Park, where they are 43-22.

To do that, the Padres have to either catch the Dodgers in the division or the Cubs for the NL’s top wild-card spot.

That deficit is also just two games.

The good news: The Padres not only have the easiest remaining schedule, they play 16 of their remaining 25 games at home sweet home.

1   |   Milwaukee Brewers (85-53, Last week: 1)

Look who’s back: Sophomore Jackson Chourio homered Saturday in his first game back from a month-long absence to a hamstring injury.

2  |   Chicago Cubs (78-59, LW: 2)

Justin Turner’s days in Chicago as a significant contributor could be numbered with the arrival of switch-hitter Carlos Santana to spell Michael Bush against left-handed pitching. The 40-year-old Turner has a .598 OPS on the season.

3   |   Detroit Tigers (80-58, LW: 3)

Tarik Skubal is up to 11 starts of at least six innings with no runs allowed this season, setting a new franchise record.

4   |   Philadelphia Phillies (79-58, LW: 4)

Buehler …. Buehler: The 31-year-old Walker Buehler will see if he can help plug the Zack Wheeler hole after the Red Sox cast him aside.

5   |   Toronto Blue Jays (79-58, LW: 5)

Boomerang: Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who was traded from Toronto to Pittsburgh last July, is back as a waiver claim to cover shortstop, third and second base for the Blue Jays’ playoff push.

6   |   Los Angeles Dodgers (78-59, LW: 6)

Even with Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates back, the Dodgers have a bullpen problem, but it was nothing that Will Smith couldn’t save them from on Sunday with a pinch-hit, walk-off homer.

7   |   New York Yankees (76-61, LW: 9)

Aaron Judge’s 43rd homer of the season on Sunday moved him into a tie for fifth in franchise history with 358 homers.

8   |   Boston Red Sox (76-62, LW: 8)

Not going anywhere: Aroldis Chapman, who earned his eighth All-Star selection this year, will return in 2026 on a $13.3 million deal.

9   |   San Diego Padres (76-61, LW: 7)

A.J. Preller should be sure to send a gift basket over to the visiting clubhouse this week during the Orioles’ stay. Ramón Laureano is his team’s best hitter right now (7 HRs, .935 OPS) and Ryan O’Hearn (3 HRs, .751 OPS) is working out just fine, too.

10   |   New York Mets (73-64, LW: 11)

A slow start is well behind Juan Soto, who has a .900 OPS, 35 homers and is four steals shy of his first 30-30 season.

The rest

• 11   |   Houston Astros (75-62, LW: 10)
• 12   |   Texas Rangers (71-67, LW: 14)
• 13  |   Seattle Mariners (73-64, LW: 12)
• 14   |   Cincinnati Reds (69-68, LW: 13)
• 15   |   Tampa Bay Rays (67-69, LW: 16)
• 16   |   Kansas City Royals (70-67, LW: 15)
• 17   |   San Francisco Giants (68-69, LW: 19)
• 18   |   Arizona Diamondbacks (68-70, LW: 17)
• 19   |   St. Louis Cardinals (68-70, LW: 18)
• 20   |   Cleveland Guardians (68-67, LW: 20)
• 21   |   Atlanta Braves (62-75, LW: 21)
• 22   |   Miami Marlins (65-72, LW: 22)
• 23   |   Los Angeles Angels (64-77, LW: 23)
• 24   |   Minnesota Twins (62-74, LW: 25)
• 25   |   Sacramento Athletics (63-75, LW: 26)
• 26   |   Pittsburgh Pirates (61-77, LW: 27)
• 27   |   Baltimore Orioles (61-76, LW: 24)
• 28   |   Chicago White Sox (49-88, LW: 29)
• 29   |   Washington Nationals (53-83, LW: 28)
• 30   |   Colorado Rockies (39-98, LW: 30)