Jump to content
North Side Baseball
  • Cubs News & Analysis

    Cubs-Padres Game Two Thread: Imanaga's Opener Is A Necessary Evil

    The Padres face the prospect of elimination if they can't win today at Wrigley Field.

    Brandon Glick
    Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images

    Cubs Video

    Chicago will treat today as a tandem day on the mound: Andrew Kittredge will open, then Shota Imanaga will follow with a bulk outing. Kittredge worked a clean eighth yesterday. This season, he has held right-handed hitters to a .690 OPS and left-handed hitters to a .541 OPS while his season FIP sits at 3.40. Over his last six starts, Imanaga has a 5.97 ERA with 12 home runs allowed in 34 2/3 innings, and he has allowed 31 homers in 144 2/3 frames this year. 

    Imanaga Against Padres Hitters

    Shota Imanaga 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 Luis Arráez L 10 9 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .111 .200 .111 .311 0 0 0 0 0
    2 Xander Bogaerts R 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    3 Manny Machado R 9 9 1 0 0 1 1 0 6 .111 .111 .444 .556 0 0 0 0 0
    4 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 9 8 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .375 .444 .375 .819 0 0 0 0 0
    5 Jake Cronenworth L 6 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .500 .833 0 0 0 0 0
    6 Martín Maldonado R 6 5 1 0 0 1 1 1 2 .200 .333 .800 1.133 0 0 0 0 1
    7 Jose Iglesias R 4 4 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 .750 .750 1.000 1.750 0 0 0 0 0
    8 Jackson Merrill L 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .667 1.000 0 0 0 0 0
    9 Freddy Fermin R 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .500 .000 .500 0 0 0 1 0
    10 Gavin Sheets 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 10/1/2025.

    Dylan Cease draws a conventional start for San Diego. His overall season included ups and downs, but his September trend was upward: in five starts last month, he recorded a 3.12 ERA with a 2.56 FIP.

    Cease Against Cubs Hitters

    Dylan Cease 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 Ian Happ B 24 21 1 0 0 0 0 3 10 .048 .167 .048 .214 0 0 0 0 1
    2 Willi Castro B 23 23 5 0 0 1 2 0 8 .217 .217 .348 .565 0 0 0 0 0
    3 Kyle Tucker L 14 12 4 1 0 0 1 2 3 .333 .429 .417 .845 0 0 1 0 0
    4 Nico Hoerner R 13 9 2 1 0 0 0 3 2 .222 .462 .333 .795 0 0 1 1 0
    5 Michael Busch L 9 8 2 0 0 2 4 1 4 .250 .333 1.000 1.333 0 0 0 0 0
    6 Justin Turner R 8 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .125 .125 .125 .250 0 0 0 0 0
    7 Pete Crow-Armstrong L 5 4 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 .500 .600 .750 1.350 0 0 0 0 0
    8 Dansby Swanson R 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    9 Reese McGuire L 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    10 Seiya Suzuki R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0
    11 Matt Shaw R 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0 0 0 0 0
    Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
    Generated 10/1/2025.

    Bullpen usage from yesterday shapes how both sides can deploy relief behind today’s starters. For Chicago, Matthew Boyd covered 4 1/3 innings before the bullpen recorded a postseason-record stretch by retiring 14 consecutive batters without a baserunner. Daniel Palencia handled 1 2/3 innings, followed by one inning each from Drew Pomeranz, Kittredge, and Brad Keller

    San Diego used four relievers behind Nick Pivetta’s five innings. Mason Miller pitched the 7th inning. Adrian Morejon covered one inning. Jeremiah Estrada worked 2/3 of an inning, and Wandy Peralta recorded the final 1/3 of the 8th. That usage left the Padres’ late-inning group relatively fresh for today, with Cease on a standard starter’s workload. 

    Matchup-wise, Kittredge’s opening inning will likely see him face Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, and Manny Machado. The Cubs used him yesterday in that same section of the order. Once Imanaga enters, Chicago can stagger right-on-left plate appearances with him and their bullpen cavalry.

    Follow North Side Baseball For Chicago Cubs News & Analysis

    Recent Cubs Articles

    Recent Cubs Videos


    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Featured Comments

    Tryptamine

    Posted

    Happ needs to be not hitting anymore today. 

    PeanutPunch33

    Posted

    Happ is such a great hitter... 6 ABs and 5 strikeouts when it matters.  Bench this clown, move Seiya to LF and lets see Moises 

    • Disagree 1
    Hortonhearsawho

    Posted

    Taillon better be sharp because he's going to be needed. 

    Jason Ross

    Posted

    Just now, PeanutPunch33 said:

    Happ is such a great hitter... 6 ABs and 5 strikeouts when it matters.  Bench this clown, move Seiya to LF and lets see Moises 

    This is such a terrible take. You know that.

    • Like 1
    WhyCantWeWin

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Tryptamine said:

    Happ needs to be not hitting anymore today. 

    Its been probably mentioned in the thread already but his numbers against Cease are horrendous, he should have probably not been in the lineup 

    JBears79

    Posted

    Kyle Tucker is the most overrated player in baseball. 

    • Like 1
    • Disagree 1
    s2obed

    Posted (edited)

    where is mo baller? 

    1 minute ago, WhyCantWeWin said:

    Its been probably mentioned in the thread already but his numbers against Cease are horrendous, he should have probably not been in the lineup 

    losing teams won't make the necessary moves... they don't want to hurt feelings, he's a vet, etc... 

    Edited by s2obed
    • Like 1
    Hortonhearsawho

    Posted

    If either Happ or Tucker was patient and didn't swing at garbage that would have tied the game. 

    Brian707

    Posted

    1 minute ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

    Happ is such a great hitter... 6 ABs and 5 strikeouts when it matters.  Bench this clown, move Seiya to LF and lets see Moises 

    Billy Madison Shut Up GIF

    • Like 4
    Cubbies1996

    Posted

    Well let’s see if Pete can swing at something actually close to the zone this time around 

    UMFan83

    Posted (edited)

    I'd pitch around Kelly to get to PCA here if I was the Padres.

    Edit: Yep, I didnt think they'd actually INT walk him but with a lefty ready thats absolutely the right call.  

    Edited by UMFan83
    Jason Ross

    Posted

    Fascinating decision here. Do you let Pete strike out against Morejon and lose the glove on a windy day? 

    PeanutPunch33

    Posted

    Just now, Jason Ross said:

    This is such a terrible take. You know that.

    I don't think it is.  Suzuki has looked great in LF when given the opportunity and Moises has had a better stick than Happ the last few weeks, while having way more potential and also makes way more contact.  They'd never have the balls to do it though 

    s2obed

    Posted

    I would've left Cease in. PCA swings at anything whether it's a righty or a lefty 😅

    UMFan83

    Posted

    If PCA finds a way to come through here, I'll be stunned.  make me look bad PCA.

    Jason Ross

    Posted

    1 minute ago, PeanutPunch33 said:

    I don't think it is.  Suzuki has looked great in LF when given the opportunity and Moises has had a better stick than Happ the last few weeks, while having way more potential and also makes way more contact.  They'd never have the balls to do it though 

    So who plays RF then? Tucker the guy with a bum calf? Or Moises Ballesteros, the guy who's never played RF?

    It's not only a terrible take on the sense that the rookie is almost assuredly going to be just as over matched but you ruin your defense on a windy, terrible day on top of it.

    You are smarter than this. I know you are.

    • Like 1
    Caesar

    Posted

    Wow. Getting Cease out of game is a favor to Cubs

    PeanutPunch33

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Brian707 said:

    Billy Madison Shut Up GIF

    kingsley shut up GIF

    Hortonhearsawho

    Posted

    That intentional walk was actually really smart since Pete is just going to strike out here. 

    Tryptamine

    Posted

    You basically have to let PCA take this AB unless you're going to put Alcantara in CF. I think we all know how this is going to play out.

    Brian707

    Posted

    PCA Dong incoming 

    Rcal10

    Posted

    Do we see Turner and then Alcantara goes to center?

    UMFan83

    Posted

    1 minute ago, Jason Ross said:

    Fascinating decision here. Do you let Pete strike out against Morejon and lose the glove on a windy day? 

    It's only the 4th inning and we're down 1-0.  You keep the glove in there IMO.

    Manny Trillos Brother

    Posted

    Here's PCA's chance to make a splash. If he somehow gets ahold of one after the IBB, I want to see a bat flip to the horsefeathers-ing moon.




    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...