San Diego Padres Aiming for Series Victory over St. Louis Cardinals

Manny Machado Leads Charge in Padres' Playoff Push

Padres Look to Secure NL West Title

Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres are on the cusp of a series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, which would move them closer to securing the NL West title.

Machado has been a key contributor for the Padres, batting .300 with 32 home runs and 102 RBIs this season. He is also a strong defensive presence at third base.

The Padres have a 3-1 lead over the Cardinals in the series and need just one more win to clinch the victory. A series victory would give the Padres a 7.5-game lead over the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers with just 10 games remaining in the regular season.

Key Matchup: Padres' Bullpen vs. Cardinals' Offense

The key matchup in the series will be the Padres' bullpen against the Cardinals' offense. The Padres' bullpen has been one of the best in the league this season, with a 3.02 ERA.

The Cardinals' offense, however, is one of the most dangerous in the league, led by Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. Goldschmidt is batting .333 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs, while Arenado is batting .290 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs.

Padres Aiming for NL West Title

A series victory over the Cardinals would put the Padres in a strong position to win the NL West title. The Padres have not won a division title since 2006.

The Padres would clinch the division title with a combination of wins and losses by the Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers, who are currently in second place in the NL Central.