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    Cubs-Padres Game Three Thread: Sudden Death Baseball

    It all comes down to this. The Cubs and Padres square off to determine who has the right to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.
    Brandon Glick

    By Brandon Glick

    Image courtesy of © Matt Marton-Imagn Images

    Cubs Video

    Padres pitching dominated Cubs hitters on Wednesday, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 in Chicago. The starters are right-handers Jameson Taillon for Chicago and Yu Darvish for San Diego. In 2025, Taillon posted a 3.68 ERA, and Darvish a 5.38 as an injury-plagued season limited him to only 15 starts. Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) tells a different story, though; Taillon has a 2025 FIP of 5.00, and Darvish has a 4.83 FIP. This game is unlikely to become a pitcher's duel, at least until both teams reach into their respective bullpens.

    Cubs Bullpen Usage
    Game 1 (Tuesday), Chicago’s relief corps delivered 4 2/3 perfect innings behind starter Matthew Boyd. The sequence was Daniel Palencia for 1 2/3, then Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge, and Brad Keller covering the final three innings. In Game 2 (Wednesday), the Cubs used an opener approach. Andrew Kittredge handled the 1st, followed by Shota Imanaga for bulk innings. After that, lefty Caleb Thielbar, righty Colin Rea, and lefty Taylor Rogers finished it off; their batters faced were Kittredge 5, Imanaga 17, Thielbar 4, Rea 6, Rogers 3.  Kittredge is the only Cubs pitcher to appear in both games so far, and he is likely out for Thursday's game as a result. 

    Padres Bullpen Usage
    Game 1, San Diego followed starter Nick Pivetta with Adrian Morejon, Mason Miller, and Jeremiah Estrada. In Game 2, Dylan Cease started and worked 3 2/3. Adrian Morejon covered 2 1/3 innings and threw 33 pitches, Mason Miller struck out the first five batters he faced and threw 27 pitches, and Robert Suarez recorded a four-out save to close a 3-0 win. It's likely that both Morejon and Miller will be unavailable for Thursday's game, but given the nature of the situation, it might be all hands on deck for Mike Shildt.

    Padres Batters Vs Jameson Taillon

    Jameson Taillon vs. San Diego Padres: Current Batters Table
    Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP
    1 Xander Bogaerts R 28 28 6 3 0 0 2 0 5 .214 .214 .321 .536 0 0 0 0 1
    2 Ryan O'Hearn L 17 16 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .188 .235 .188 .423 0 0 0 0 1
    3 Martín Maldonado R 16 14 4 1 0 1 1 1 2 .286 .375 .571 .946 0 0 1 1 1
    4 Luis Arráez L 13 13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 .231 .231 .462 0 0 0 0 0
    5 Jose Iglesias R 13 13 7 2 0 1 3 0 1 .538 .538 .923 1.462 0 0 0 0 0
    6 Gavin Sheets L 11 10 3 1 0 0 0 1 3 .300 .364 .400 .764 0 0 0 0 0
    7 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 6 6 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 .333 .333 .833 1.167 0 0 0 0 0
    8 Manny Machado R 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 .200 .000 .200 0 0 0 0 0
    9 Jake Cronenworth L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    10 Freddy Fermin R 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0 0 0 0 0
    Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
    Generated 10/2/2025.

    Cubs Batters Vs Yu Darvish

    Yu Darvish vs. Chicago Cubs: Current Batters Table
    Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP
    1 Justin Turner R 27 24 5 1 0 1 1 3 10 .208 .296 .375 .671 0 0 0 0 0
    2 Dansby Swanson R 22 19 3 1 0 0 1 3 6 .158 .273 .211 .483 0 0 1 0 0
    3 Ian Happ B 14 13 2 0 0 0 2 1 6 .154 .214 .154 .368 0 0 0 0 0
    4 Nico Hoerner R 11 10 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 .200 .273 .400 .673 0 0 0 0 0
    5 Carson Kelly R 10 10 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .300 .300 .300 .600 0 0 0 0 0
    6 Kyle Tucker L 6 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 .167 .167 .333 0 0 0 0 0
    7 Seiya Suzuki R 5 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 .250 .400 .500 .900 0 0 0 0 0
    8 Michael Busch L 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    9 Pete Crow-Armstrong L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
    Generated 10/2/2025.

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    Featured Comments

    chibears55

    chibears55 798

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, s2obed said:

    Eh. Hope it’s precautionary (warming up a guy). I’m not pulling Taillon or even thinking about it TBH.

    Yea, bottom of order, let him go out and at least start the inning. 

    Getting another run here will make that decision easier

    Jason Ross

    Jason Ross 2,540

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, s2obed said:

    Eh. Hope it’s precautionary (warming up a guy). I’m not pulling Taillon or even thinking about it TBH.

    I am. It's the lefty parade coming up. Let Thielbar go get them. 

    UMFan83

    UMFan83 3,013

    Posted

    I have a feeling that was Taillons last pitch with 3 lefties coming up. Cubs should be ok on pen arms and even have a LTOGY (lefty three out guy) in Pomeranz for later in the game. 

    Id be fine if Taillon started the inning too

    • Like 1
    Guest

    Guest

    Posted

    More runs pls.

    Wilson A2000

    Wilson A2000 598

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Rex Buckingham said:

    Jamo in the 5th with someone ready to go if he gets in trouble?

    Yes. Let him keep going.

    Jason Ross

    Jason Ross 2,540

    Posted

    Michael King has been awful since August turned over. 

    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, s2obed said:

    Eh. Hope it’s precautionary (warming up a guy). I’m not pulling Taillon or even thinking about it TBH.

    If he keeps rolling i wonder how long they go with Taillon.  Maybe around 70 pitches like the other 2 guys?

    UMFan83

    UMFan83 3,013

    Posted (edited)

    4 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

    Yea, bottom of order, let him go out and at least start the inning. 

    Getting another run here will make that decision easier

    But either way he’s almost certainly not going to be allowed to face the top of the order again. The Cubs have Soroka who can give them multiple innings today, Pomeranz as another lefty option. The pen should mostly be in good shape. No need to take chances with a 2-0 lead

    5th - Thielbar

    6th - Soroka

    7th - Pomeranz (if lefties line up)

    8th - Palencia

    9th - Keller

    Civale, Rogers, possibly Rea would also be available. Kittredge is the only guy you want to hold back unless you absolutely have to. 

    Edited by UMFan83
    BigSlick

    BigSlick 700

    Posted

    Get more runs!!!

    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    A PCA walk should make it to Sportscenter

    • Like 1
    BigSlick

    BigSlick 700

    Posted

    PCA has done his job today, I’m not gonna rag on him for swinging at ball four at his eyes… but I want to 

    Hortonhearsawho

    Hortonhearsawho 84

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Stratos said:

    A PCA walk should make it to Sportscenter

    That was too good to be true.

    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

    But either way he’s almost certainly not going to be allowed to face the top of the order again. The Cubs have Soroka who can give them multiple innings today, Pomeranz as another lefty option. The pen should mostly be in good shape. No need to take chances with a 2-0 lead

    5th - Thielbar

    6th - Soroka

    7th - Pomeranz (if lefties line up)

    8th - Palencia

    9th - Keller

    If Taillon can get through the rest of the order that would be good for me.  Finish the 5th or close to it

    squally1313

    squally1313 2,225

    Posted

    We have three lefties in the pen and have essentially 5 innings left in our season. There is no reason to not maximize our matchups if they’re going to be nice enough to put three lefties back to back. 

    • Like 3
    Guest

    Guest

    Posted

    Really like Shaw but he's been looking hopeless at the plate

    muntjack

    muntjack 227

    Posted

    Shaw needs to pray harder.

    • Like 2
    Jason Ross

    Jason Ross 2,540

    Posted

    Just now, Pinerider said:

    Really like Shaw but he's been looking hopeless at the plate

    Yeah this has been a bad series for him.

    squally1313

    squally1313 2,225

    Posted

    A truly depressing amount of strikeouts this series. 

    Hortonhearsawho

    Hortonhearsawho 84

    Posted

    Castro probably should get some starts at 3B if we advance 

    abuck1220

    abuck1220 207

    Posted

    would have taken some huge balls, but should have ph Ballesteros for Shaw in the 2nd. dude has no chance. 

    Caesar

    Caesar 10

    Posted

    I’m sorry but this offense is abysmal 

    Tangled Up in Plaid

    Tangled Up in Plaid 407

    Posted

    I dunno, I just think the Padres have an incredible pitching staff. Even King has great stuff with deception.

    chibears55

    chibears55 798

    Posted

    Every inning they don't add on, I cringe thinking about that 2nd inning and what could of been 😬

    • Like 1


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