The San Diego Padres are a team to pay attention to as the second half of the MLB season begins. At (50-49) they are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 2nd in the NL West Division. They ended the first half on a poor note, finishing 4-6 in their final 10 games. However, the Friars will be getting some crucial players back from injury in the next few weeks and that should help propel them to potential playoff contention. Stay with us as we make a Padres playoff prediction as the second half of the MLB season gets underway on Thursday.

Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

MLB Odds: Padres 2024 Playoffs Odds

To Make Playoffs – Yes: +120

To Make Playoffs – No: -156

*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why the Padres Will Make the Playoffs

Let's be real, a team this talented should make the postseason. They had five players represent San Diego in the Summer Classic and even though they traded away Juan Soto before the year, they are getting almost the same offensive play from Jurickson Pofar, who is making just $1 million this season. The Padres then traded for one of the best hitters in the sport in Luis Arraez, who is 2nd in the league in hits behind Bobby Witt Jr. The Friars have the talent on offense to make a lot of noise.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is recovering from multiple injuries and will be back around early September, or earlier if all goes well. He was playing some of the best ball of his career before the injury. Yu Darvish is set to return to the rotation after recovering from an injury, as well as a personal matter. Joe Musgrove is still multiple weeks away but is lined up to return to the team before the postseason. Last but not least, Xander Bogaerts. The former WS champion returned to the lineup against the Atlanta Braves in the final series before the break. His presence is needed on the field and now the Padres have a full lineup if healthy. Remember, the Friars traded for Arraez right after the Bogaerts injury. Once healthy, they don't have any holes outside of catcher.

Jackson Merrill is by far the best offensive rookie in the National League. If it wasn't for Paul Skenes' historic season, Merrill would go on to win the NL ROY. To him, the award doesn't matter. If Merrill can continue to play the way he is at such a young age, then the franchise has a lot to look forward to. In Bleacher Report's latest top 10 “right now” center fielder's list, Merrill was right behind superstar, Aaron Judge.

As a team, the Padres are 2nd in the league in batting average at .261 behind the Houston Astros (.262). However, they lead the league in hits by 10 over the Astros as well. If they can put it all together offensively, then there is no telling why they can't make another postseason run as they did in 2022.

Why the Padres Won't Make the Playoffs

The Padres are a rollercoaster of a team. They show signs of being an elite club, and then proceed to go on a losing streak. Their inconsistency could be a major factor if they don't make the postseason.

Another thing is their injuries. The Friars have been banged up all season and that could cost them. It's going to be a close race to the end and the Padres need their stars available.

The National League is competitive. The Padres, Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs should all be in the race toward the postseason. Two of those teams will make it unless the Atlanta Braves collapse, which is unlikely. However, the Braves are only four games up from the final Wild Card spot.

Final Padres 2024 Playoffs Prediction & Pick

The Padres are one game out from the final Wild Card spot. They have a tough month of July to begin the second half, but right after they play the Dodgers to end July, their strength of schedule drops drastically. They face the Pittsburgh Pirates twice, Colorado Rockies twice, and Miami Marlins for the first five series of August. Then, they face the Mets for a crucial series. If the Padres are in contention by then, then I expect them to capitalize against weaker opponents to work their way to the postseason for the 3rd time in five seasons.

Click Here for more betting news & predictions 

Final Padres 2024 Playoffs Prediction & Pick: Padres to make the Playoffs: Yes (+120)