San Diego Padres are a professional baseball team that plays in the National League (NL) West division of Major League Baseball (MLB). The team plays its home games at PETCO Park in San Diego, California.
The Padres entered MLB in 1969 as an NL expansion team along with the Montreal Expos. It was the first year the leagues in MLB were divided into divisions. The team achieved its first winning season in 1978 behind pitchers Gaylord Perry and Rollie Fingers, shortstop Ozzie Smith, and outfielder Dave Winfield. The team won its first NL pennant in 1984, but lost to the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. Stars of that Padres team included NL batting champion Tony Gwynn, first baseman Steve Garvey, and third baseman Graig Nettles.
The Padres returned to the World Series in 1998, but were swept by the New York Yankees. Stars of that Padres team included Gwynn, third baseman Ken Caminiti, outfielder Steve Finley, and pitchers Kevin Brown and Trevor Hoffman. Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, and Dave Winfield have all been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame as Padres.
