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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.

    Writer | Director | Author

    Short Film: Path of Two Minds
    Novel: The Great, Horrible Tragedy

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    Featured Comments

    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    Shildt just said Dansby is his series MVP.

    gflore34

    gflore34 966

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, Stratos said:

    Shildt just said Dansby is his series MVP.

    Definitely, an average SS doesn't make most of those plays.  Fortunately, the Cubs have the best SS in the NL.

    • Like 2
    Irrelevant Dude

    Irrelevant Dude 1,546

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, Stratos said:

    Shildt just said Dansby is his series MVP.

    I agree with that.

    • Like 1
    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    17 minutes ago, chibears55 said:

    Would help the Cubs big time, especially if they steal Game 1 and then they're able to rest the pen again the next day and give Boyd and Imanaga an extra day rest 

    Yeah that rest day on Sunday will be huge.  Some guys might still be a bit gassed on Saturday but hopefully adrenaline gets us through.

    gflore34

    gflore34 966

    Posted

    Shout to Taillon as well, thought he fantastic.

    • Like 8
    Guest

    Guest

    Posted

    So Boyd game 1 and then who Shota next or will Rea get the start?

    squally1313

    squally1313 2,225

    Posted

    Happ bunting and it not leading to a run is officially hilarious 

    • Haha 2
    gflore34

    gflore34 966

    Posted

    I think the Brewers were rooting hard for the Padres, the Cubs with a PCA and Tucker possibly coming out of it are far scarier.

    bukie

    bukie 1,208

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Pinerider said:

    So Boyd game 1 and then who Shota next or will Rea get the start?

    They won't start Boyd on short rest. I'd expect Rea game 1, Boyd 2, Shotgun 3, Taillon to close the series out in game 4.

    • Like 2
    s2obed

    s2obed 80

    Posted (edited)

    Disregard game is @8.

    Edited by s2obed
    Guest

    Guest

    Posted

    huh? Boyd only threw like 70 pitches game 1 and he'll be on 4 days rest

    Tangled Up in Plaid

    Tangled Up in Plaid 409

    Posted

    1 minute ago, bukie said:

    They won't start Boyd on short rest. I'd expect Rea game 1, Boyd 2, Shotgun 3, Taillon to close the series out in game 4.

    Shotgun Imanaga

    Guest

    Guest

    Posted (edited)

    Shotgun Imanaga it is from here forth

    Edited by Pinerider
    s2obed

    s2obed 80

    Posted

    3 minutes ago, Pinerider said:

    huh? Boyd only threw like 70 pitches game 1 and he'll be on 4 days rest

    Wrong, 3 days rest

    Illiterate Scholar

    Illiterate Scholar 98

    Posted

    I would guess it's Rea starting game 1 and Assad replaces Alcantara as an extra arm. 

    Guest

    Guest

    Posted (edited)

    Okay yeah you're right

    Edited by Pinerider
    bukie

    bukie 1,208

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Pinerider said:

    huh? Boyd only threw like 70 pitches game 1 and he'll be on 4 days rest

    3 days rest. Pitched Tuesday. Game Saturday.

    cubfansince77

    cubfansince77 79

    Posted (edited)

    16 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

    Shout to Taillon as well, thought he fantastic.

    Absolutely....he was nails today. I felt good about him starting when he said he was "excited" before the game. That's the exact emotion you want from a guy who doesn't let the moment overwhelm him. Overall? He's been a damn good signing

    Edited by cubfansince77
    left out a few facts
    Hortonhearsawho

    Hortonhearsawho 84

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, Pinerider said:

    huh? Boyd only threw like 70 pitches game 1 and he'll be on 4 days rest

    It's 3 days but I do still think he goes game 1. You only get like 4 or 5 innings from a starting pitcher in a post season start anyways so I think he goes in game 1. Rea going in game 2 wouldn't shock me though.

    Bobson Dugnutt

    Bobson Dugnutt 1,087

    Posted

    39 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

    Happ looks hammered already

    Drinking to forget the indignity of laying down a sac bunt.

    • Haha 1
    gflore34

    gflore34 966

    Posted

    On PCA' steal is it possible Cronenworth was obstructing his path to the base?

    Papa Cub

    Papa Cub 17

    Posted

    30 minutes ago, Stratos said:

    I'm watching Machado sulk like a little biatch right now.  Not sure there's 2 active players I dislike more than Tatis and Machado.  Except for the entire Milwaukee Brewers roster lol.

    I watched that same interview with Machado. He just has a poor attitude. Xander Bogearts was classy and gave credit to his teammates and the winning team. Class - Machado…..not so much 

    Bobson Dugnutt

    Bobson Dugnutt 1,087

    Posted (edited)

    10 minutes ago, Pinerider said:

    huh? Boyd only threw like 70 pitches game 1 and he'll be on 4 days rest

    He pitched Tuesday. Game 1 is Saturday. He’d be on three days rest.

     

    edit: never mind. Others have already said this.

    Edited by Bobson Dugnutt
    Papa Cub

    Papa Cub 17

    Posted

    1 minute ago, gflore34 said:

    On PCA' steal is it possible Cronenworth was obstructing his path to the base?

    He pushed PCA’s hand off the bag I thought, which caused him to be “off” the bag and ultimately get called out. Shady, but good on him I guess 😏

    Guest

    Guest

    Posted (edited)

    We have a nice team. Imagine Steele and Horton in the rotation tho

    Edited by Pinerider


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