<P> The San Diego Padres are a professional baseball franchise based in San Diego, California . </P> <P> They began play in 1969, but did not achieve their first winning season until 1978, though they failed to sustain this over the next half - decade . However, in 1984 the Padres surprisingly reached their first - ever postseason appearance and won the National League Championship before losing to a very strong Detroit Tiger outfit in the World Series . </P> <P> This did not usher in a prolonged period of success for the Padres, who failed to achieve a second postseason appearance until 1996, and after a disappointing 1997 they rebounded again with a franchise - best 98 wins and reached the World Series only to face another exceptionally formidable opponent in the late - 1990s Yankees dynasty . The Padres yet again faltered, but achieved four consecutive winning seasons for the only time in franchise history between 2004 and 2007 without winning more than one playoff game . The Padres have not played in the postseason since 2006 despite only the fourth 90 - win season in franchise history during 2010 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> World Series champions † </Td> <Td> NL champions * </Td> <Td> Division champions ^ </Td> <Td> Wild card berth (1995--present) ¤ </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When was the last time the padres went to the playoffs