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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

    SpongeWorthy

    SpongeWorthy 377

    Posted

    has shaw been within a foot of the ball on any swing and miss so far this series

    PeanutPunch33

    PeanutPunch33 209

    Posted

    Just now, abuck1220 said:

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

    I thought Shaw turned the corner after the all star break but now he looks dazed and confused 

    Hortonhearsawho

    Hortonhearsawho 84

    Posted

    Just now, chibears55 said:

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

    Yeah they should have at least got 3 from that inning.

    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    2 minutes ago, Pinerider said:

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

    FASCIST!!!  (jk)

    • Like 1
    abuck1220

    abuck1220 207

    Posted

    man I get it, but taillon was really cruising. if any of these RPs struggle out of the gate it’s gonna be tough watching them try to get through 3 batters. 

    Guest

    Guest

    Posted

    Filthy breaker Thielbar!

    s2obed

    s2obed 80

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, Jason Ross said:

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

    Taillon has been fine. Hope it doesn’t come back to bite Counsell in the ass.

    UMFan83

    UMFan83 3,016

    Posted

    2 of their 3 hits have dribbled through the exact same freaking spot 

    s2obed

    s2obed 80

    Posted

    I’m not even saying this won’t work out this inning. But you’re asking for 5 innings out of the pen. We’ll see.

    Stratos

    Stratos 503

    Posted

    Lefties hit only .191 off Taillon this year.

    • Like 1
    s2obed

    s2obed 80

    Posted

     Being too cute imo.

    Guest

    Guest

    Posted

    I'd have rather let Jameson go out and if anyone got on then maybe hit the pen

    UMFan83

    UMFan83 3,016

    Posted

    1 minute ago, s2obed said:

    Taillon has been fine. Hope it doesn’t come back to bite Counsell in the ass.

    It’s like blackjack, you can’t assure yourself of the outcome, all you can do is play the percentages (monty burns reference) and hope it plays out in your favor. Obviously it’s a bit more complex than that like the fact that Thielbar didn’t get through the inning, but they still have the arms to get them through the game and then some

    PeanutPunch33

    PeanutPunch33 209

    Posted

    should save palencia for later in the game but whatever 

    Caesar

    Caesar 10

    Posted

    Tailion could of stayed in.

    UMFan83

    UMFan83 3,016

    Posted (edited)

    3 minutes ago, Stratos said:

    Lefties hit only .191 off Taillon this year.

    And .161 against Thielbar. If the top of their order wasn’t coming up for the 3rd time the next inning I’d be ok with him taking that inning but he was only going to go 1 additional inning max. In that case you might as well give yourself a marginal advantage

    Edited by UMFan83
    • Like 1
    Matthew Trueblood

    Matthew Trueblood 425

    Posted

    I think I'd have stuck with Taillon for this inning, too. BUT, I also get why Craig chose this path.

    muntjack

    muntjack 227

    Posted

    Oh no. 

    Matthew Trueblood

    Matthew Trueblood 425

    Posted

    Hate that pitch selection. Throw the slider. You played right into his hands there.

    chibears55

    chibears55 799

    Posted (edited)

    3 minutes ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

    should save palencia for later in the game but whatever 

    Guessing Counsell was hoping to get the last out here and then come out next inning to get Tatis and top of order

    Edited by chibears55
    • Love 1
    squally1313

    squally1313 2,225

    Posted

    Remember, when you analyze this decision, in the hypothetical other world Jameson taillon strikes out everyone on three pitches while throwing 105

    • Haha 1
    Bobson Dugnutt

    Bobson Dugnutt 1,087

    Posted

    ugh why is David Haugh on the radio call

    Jason Ross

    Jason Ross 2,541

    Posted

    16 outs to go.

    UMFan83

    UMFan83 3,016

    Posted

    Well we got through unscathed and got through Tatis!



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