The San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs are set to meet in the National League Wild Card next week; however, the location is not yet confirmed. The Cubs own a 2.5-game lead over the Padres, and are the likely hosts of the series.

The Padres have a talented roster worthy of competing for their first World Series title. When Manny Machado came to San Diego, everything changed. He is the first superstar to sign a free agent deal in San Diego, and ever since he signed, the Padres have been a good team and a playoff contender.

During the COVID-19 season, the Padres made the playoffs and took down the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild Card round at Petco Park. They would go on to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. In 2022, the Padres took down the New York Mets in the Wild Card, then followed up with a win in four games against the Dodgers in the NLDS. The Padres would then lose to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS. Last season, the Padres had another shot to beat the Dodgers in the NLDS but fell short after smashing the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card. Now, the Padres are back in the postseason, aiming to make history.

The road to the World Series will begin with the Cubs. If they defeat them, they would play either the Milwaukee Brewers or the Phillies in the NLDS. The likely matchup would be the Brewers. The Padres are 4-2 against Milwaukee this season with two series wins.

If the Friars are to make the World Series, here are four players who must step up for the dream to become a reality.

Jackson Merrill 

Jackson Merrill is a rising superstar for the Padres who had no idea he would pan out as a centerfielder. Just as Fernando Tatis Jr. was, Merrill grew up a shortstop and played the position his whole life. He never played center field until his debut with the Padres. It turns out that he was meant to play that position, and he playing alongside Tatis in right field makes for one of the best outfield duos in the league.

Merrill has missed a lot of time this season with a couple of nagging injuries. When healthy, he has played well. The Padres need Merrill to stay in form during their postseason run. He has been hitting the ball very well to end the regular season and showcases home run power, smashing the ball the other way.

The Padres' chances to win in the postseason skyrocket when he is hitting the ball well in the middle of the lineup.

Xander Bogaerts

The Padres had no idea that they would be getting Xander Bogaerts back in time for the playoffs. He missed the last month with a fractured foot, and this was not the first long-term injury for the star shortstop. After a rough start to the season, Bogaerts became one of the best hitters in the league during the summer. Bogaerts was one of the more consistent hitters on the team, and the Padres desperately need consistency from the veteran this postseason.

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The Padres don't have many star right-handed bats outside of him, Fernando Tatis Jr, and Manny Machado. Ramon Laureano will miss at least the Wild Card series with a fractured finger he suffered on Wednesday against the Brewers. The Friars will need Bogaerts to become a strong hitter against left-handed pitching, which the Cubs showcase a ton.

Ryan O'Hearn

The final hitter that will make or break the Padres' World Series chances is Ryan O'Hearn. The lefty was traded from the Baltimore Orioles alongside Laureano at the trade deadline. He has had an up-and-down time in San Diego, while Laureano has played very well.

O'Hearn was an All-Star for the Orioles this season, so the ceiling is extremely high. Coming off a series where he hit the ball well and smashed a grand slam, the Padres are hoping that O'Hearn can stay hot and become a crucial bat in the middle of the lineup. All three of these hitters mentioned will bat between 4-7 in the lineup. If the Friars see production from there, they will be one of the scariest lineups in the playoffs.

Michael King

The final player that can seriously boost the Friars this postseason will be Michael King. The right-hander missed most of the season with a shoulder injury. Now that he is back, he has had a hard time seeing consistency. His starts have been all over the place, and his start against the Mets a few weeks back was brutal.

Last Wild Card against the Braves, King took the ball in Game 1. He completely shoved in that win, striking out 12 hitters and allowing zero runs in 7.0 innings. If the Padres get that King of performance from King in the playoffs, then there is no doubt that they can beat anyone.