Biggest plays in San Diego Padres history

Major League Baseball history is built on moments — swings, pitches, and split-second plays that reshaped seasons and, in some cases, entire franchises. From walk-off home runs in winner-take-all games to clutch hits under October pressure, the biggest plays often came when the stakes were highest. Stacker identified the most impactful plays in San Diego Padres history using data from Stathead. Plays were ranked by their Championship Win Probability Added (cWPA), a metric that measures how much a single play changed a team's odds of winning the World Series.

#5. October 17, 1998 (WS Gm 1)
- Score: tied 2-2 (5th inning, 2 outs)
- Opponent: NYY
- Event: HR
- Play Description: Home Run (Line Drive to Deep RF); Q. Veras Scores
- cWPA: 7.72%

#4. October 07, 1984 (NLCS Gm 5)
- Score: down 3-2 (7th inning, 1 out)
- Opponent: CHC
- Event: RoE
- Play Description: Reached on E3 (Ground Ball); C. Martínez Scores/No RBI
- cWPA: 9.94%

#3. October 06, 1984 (NLCS Gm 4)
- Score: tied 5-5 (9th inning, 1 out)
- Opponent: CHC
- Event: HR
- Play Description: *WALK-OFF*:Home Run (Deep CF-RF); T. Gwynn Scores
- cWPA: 10.09%

#2. October 10, 1984 (WS Gm 2)
- Score: down 3-2 (5th inning, 1 out)
- Opponent: DET
- Event: HR
- Play Description: Home Run; G. Nettles Scores; T. Kennedy Scores
- cWPA: 10.89%

#1. October 07, 1984 (NLCS Gm 5)
- Score: tied 3-3 (7th inning, 1 out)
- Opponent: CHC
- Event: 2B
- Play Description: Double to CF; T. Flannery Scores (Unearned run); A. Wiggins Scores; T. Gwynn to 3B (Advanced on throw) on throw to Hm
- cWPA: 14.04%