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Two Padres Make MLB.com's "2026 All-Postseason Team"
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- Two Padres Make MLB.com's "2026 All-Postseason Team"
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
It may become the most enduring image of the San Padres' 2026 playoff run: the look on third baseman Manny Machado's face - a mix of bemusement, wonder and, ultimately, disbelief - after Milwaukee Brewers' centerfielder Garrett Mitchell leapt above the fence to rob Machado of a game-tying home run in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the NL Divisional Series.
The Brewers would go on to win that game 3-1 and the series, but a persuasive argument could be made that it was Machado and the Padres who made life most difficult for the Brewers on their way to winning the World Series.
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In all, the teams played three one-run games in addition to the 3-1 finale, with neither team leading by more than two runs at any point during the series.
For those efforts, as well as his work against the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series, on Thursday Machado was named the starting third baseman on MLB.com's " 2026 All-Postseason Team ."
"The seven-time All-Star entered this year hitting just .209 in 51 career postseason games," wrote MLB.com's Jared Greenspan. "But Machado was at his best this fall, hitting .350 (7-for-20) with a 1.080 OPS in six playoff games."
Joining Machado on the All-Postseason Team is starter Michael King, who, in three playoff appearances, compiled a 0.64 ERA in 14 innings pitched with 15 strikeouts.
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King kicked off the postseason with a bang, twirling seven no-hit innings in Game 1 against the Cubs while the Padres romped to a dominant 8-0 win. He followed that up with five innings of one-run ball in the Padres' Game 2 loss to the Brewers in the NLDS, before he fully exhibited his commitment to the team by coming out of the bullpen two days later to pitch two scoreless innings and pick up the save in San Diego's 4-3 victory that forced a Game 4.
For his part, Greenspan marveled at what he called King's "gutsy relief appearance."
"San Diego needed a win in Game 3 of the NLDS to keep its season alive, and its top two relievers were unavailable," he wrote. "So, King - two days after pitching five solid innings in NLDS Game 2 - came out of the bullpen to nail down the final six outs of a victory taut with tension."
King's fortitude and unselfishness also caught the eye of Sam Blum, who made King a member of the pitching staff on The Athletic's " All-Playoff Team " on Thursday.
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"In King's first two postseason starts, he allowed just one run over 12 innings, with 14 strikeouts and three walks. Not bad," Blum wrote. "But what puts him on this list is what he did the day after that second start. The Padres, facing elimination and down their top two relievers, called on King for a two-inning save. It was a heroic effort that got lost because San Diego's postseason run flamed out the next night. It also says a lot about King, given the expectation that he'll be a free agent this offseason. He risked his health for that win."
Indeed, King is now a free agent after he opted out of the final two years of his deal on Thursday, leaving the Padres' starting staff without a reliable ace for the time being.
