The countdown to October baseball is officially on in San Diego.
The San Diego Padres punched their ticket to the postseason Thursday night, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 at Dodger Stadium to clinch their third consecutive playoff appearance.
While the Friars have already secured a spot in the postseason, there is still plenty to play for. The team is now battling for postseason seeding and a chance to host a Wild Card Series at Petco Park.
Whether the Padres play their first postseason games at home or on the road, their playoff run is already creating a surge of excitement — and business — in downtown San Diego.
For bars and restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter, a Padres playoff berth means one thing: crowds.
At Bubs at the Ballpark, just steps from Petco Park, preparations are already underway for what could be a packed postseason.
“Man, that means madness. Great time, excitement, can't wait,” said Herman Shoat, general manager of Bubs at the Ballpark. “We've been talking about it all year and to see them pull it off against the Dodgers last night, that was exciting.”
Bubs has been a fixture near Petco Park since 2011, drawing both locals and visitors looking to experience Padres baseball downtown.
Now, with the postseason approaching, Shoat said the focus quickly shifts from celebrating the clinch to preparing for the crowds.
“You get there and it's like, yes, and then it quickly turns to the mindset of, all right, how do we prepare for this?” Shoat said.
That preparation includes adjusting staffing schedules, bringing in additional beer and beverages, stocking up on food and working through the logistics of handling significantly larger crowds.
Bubs is expecting more than 1,500 people during its busy postseason days.
The restaurant can be packed from opening time through closing, with another wave of fans arriving before first pitch.
“We get our pregame rush, and then when the game's going, it feels like that rush never died down,” Shoat said. “The energy is definitely there. People are excited, and you just see it just looking outside the door.”
That energy can be felt throughout downtown when the Padres are making a postseason push.
For businesses downtown, playoff baseball can mean a steady stream of fans coming downtown to watch games, celebrate wins, and soak in the atmosphere surrounding Petco Park.
The Padres' postseason berth comes after a September surge that has reignited excitement among the team's fan base.
With the playoff picture becoming clearer, Shoat said he's seeing a noticeable change among Padres fans.
“Just the way they've been playing ball, people are excited,” he said. “Like, OK, starting to believe.”
For a city that has embraced the Padres' postseason runs in recent years, October baseball means more than games at the ballpark. It means packed bars, cheering crowds and a downtown ready to welcome the Friar Faithful.
And with the Padres now officially headed back to the playoffs, all of San Diego is getting ready for another postseason run.
