In a heart-wrenching conclusion to their season, the San Diego Padres faced a 3-1 defeat against the Chicago Cubs in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series. This loss marks the end of October baseball for the Padres, a painful yet familiar outcome for fans and players alike. “This is a position that you don’t want to be in,” said Manny Machado after the game. “We want to be holding up the trophy at the end of the year. It’s our goal at the beginning of the season, and we fell short. … It just sucks.”
From the outset, the Padres found themselves in a precarious position. Despite having an offense rife with potential, they struggled to capitalize on fleeting opportunities throughout the game. The atmosphere at Wrigley Field was electric, especially as the temperature felt unseasonably warm for an autumn day in Chicago. In a last-ditch effort, Jackson Merrill kickstarted the ninth inning with a home run, but the Padres ultimately fell short. Two consecutive hit batters provided a glimmer of hope, placing potential tying runs on base. However, a groundout followed by a sharp fly ball to center field sealed their fate. With that fly ball caught by Pete Crow-Armstrong, the nearly 41,000 fans erupted in a victorious rendition of “Go Cubs Go.”
The defeat was not just a loss but a reflection of a season filled with high aspirations and unmet expectations. “Missed opportunity,” stated Fernando Tatis Jr.. “Any chance you get to the playoffs and … if you don’t finish the job, it’s just a missed opportunity.” After achieving 90 wins during the regular season, the Padres were left to ponder what could have been as they faced an early offseason.
The Padres entered this crucial series under significant pressure, having suffered a 3-1 defeat in Game 1 and narrowly surviving in Game 2 with a 3-0 victory. The bullpen's performance in Game 3 was commendable, yet it was not enough to overcome a shaky start from Yu Darvish, who exited earlier than expected. The Cubs capitalized on this, scoring two runs in the second inning, with Crow-Armstrong driving in the first run after a series of hits and a walk that brought in another.
Despite the bullpen’s efforts to keep the game close, the Padres' offense remained inconsistent. Jameson Taillon, the Cubs' starting pitcher, navigated through four innings effectively, limiting the Padres to just a few hits. The Padres faced a formidable defensive lineup, and even Dansby Swanson made critical plays that thwarted potential scoring opportunities. “They made some incredible defensive plays,” said Jake Cronenworth, acknowledging the Cubs' stellar fielding.
In the eighth inning, Robert Suarez entered hoping to maintain the 3-0 deficit, but a home run from Michael Busch quickly widened the gap. The Padres rallied in the ninth, but it was not enough for a comeback. Rookie David Morgan provided a scoreless eighth inning, giving the Padres one last shot in the ninth, but the Cubs’ pitching and defense proved too strong. “I thought we had a very good chance. We were in a good spot. … So close,” Merrill reflected on the final moments of the game.
As the Padres fade into an early offseason, the team will need to reflect on their performance and strategize for the future. Injuries, inconsistencies, and missed opportunities plagued their season, leaving fans wondering what changes lie ahead. For the players, the bitter taste of defeat serves as motivation to return stronger next season. “It hurts,” said Xander Bogaerts. “Especially the way we kind of ended the game right there. We gave ourselves a chance.”
