As the NL Wild Card Series heats up, the San Diego Padres find themselves in a critical situation, poised to stave off elimination against the Chicago Cubs. The two teams will clash once again at the iconic Wrigley Field on Wednesday, with the first pitch slated for 2:08 p.m. CT (12:08 p.m. PT).
Padres' manager, Mike Shildt, acknowledged the challenge faced by his team, stating, “We'll see where the game presents. Clearly our backs are against it, but our club is no stranger to challenges. We're battle-tested; we'll answer the bell Wednesday, and we'll go from there.” This determination is crucial as the Padres look to extend their postseason run.
The Chicago Cubs enter this pivotal game with a significant historical advantage. In past best-of-three Wild Card Series, teams that secured a Game 1 victory at home have completed the series in a sweep on all seven occasions. Moreover, Game 1 winners overall have triumphed in 18 out of 20 series. Cubs' shortstop Dansby Swanson emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum, saying, “Obviously, it just gets us one closer. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to be able to show up Wednesday with some intensity and be ready to compete again, because I know they will.”
Fans eager to catch the action can tune in to Game 2, which will air at 2 p.m. CT/noon PT on ABC. The start time for a potential Game 3 on Thursday remains to be determined. Additionally, all series games are accessible in the U.S. on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. International viewers can also watch, though the broadcast is unavailable in Canada. In Canada, Sportsnet covers MLB's postseason games in English, while TVA Sports and Broadcaster RDS provide coverage in French.
The starting pitchers are set to play a pivotal role in the outcome of this match. For the Padres, Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.55 ERA) will take the mound. Despite struggling earlier in the season, Cease has shown improvement recently, finishing September with a 3.12 ERA and 32 strikeouts in five starts. Notably, he has a strong track record at Wrigley Field, boasting a 2.50 ERA in three career starts. However, given his past struggles, the Padres might opt for a quick pull should he falter.
The Cubs will counter with Andrew Kittredge (4-3, 3.40 ERA), who is expected to serve as an opener. Kittredge, acquired at the Trade Deadline, has been a valuable asset to the Cubs' bullpen, posting a 3.32 ERA and impressive strikeout numbers since joining the team. Following Kittredge, lefty Shota Imanaga may be called upon for a bulk outing, allowing for strategic matchups against the Padres’ lineup.
With Ramón Laureano sidelined due to a fractured finger, the Padres have adjusted their lineup, which now skews left-handed, particularly in the lower batting order. This raises the possibility of moving a lefty hitter to the No. 5 spot to counteract Kittredge's right-handed opening. Meanwhile, the Cubs are likely to maintain a lineup similar to that which achieved success in Game 1, featuring powerful hitters like Suzuki and Kelly, who contributed significantly to their Game 1 victory.
The Padres will be looking to improve their performance after a lackluster showing in Game 1, where they managed only four hits, with Xander Bogaerts accounting for half of them. Both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez finished the regular season strong but struggled in the first game of the series, going hitless. On the Cubs' side, Suzuki continued his impressive streak, hitting home runs in his last four regular-season games and carrying that momentum into the postseason.
The stakes are high as the Padres and Cubs prepare for this decisive matchup. Historically, the Padres have struggled at Wrigley Field, having never won a postseason game there, while the Cubs seek to clinch their first postseason series victory at home since 2016. Both teams will be looking to capitalize on their strengths and address their weaknesses as they vie for advancement in the playoffs.
