Quiet bats and questionable bullpen management sealed Chicago’s fate in San Diego, ending a disappointing postseason run and sending the North Siders into a pivotal, uncertainty-filled offseason.
The Chicago Cubs' season is over.
After losing Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Round, the Cubs followed it with another uninspiring performance in Game 2. They lost 4-1 on Wednesday evening against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
The Cubs went into San Diego with hopes of beating the Padres in the Wild Card Round. Instead, the North Siders will head back to Chicago after being swept by one of the hottest teams in baseball.
The Cubs had their opportunities early in Wednesday’s loss. After the Padres scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning, Chicago had some chances to answer in the next inning. Both Matt Shaw (walk) and Carson Kelly (single) got on base to start the third, and Dansby Swanson came up to bat in a big spot.
He watched three straight balls go outside the zone to begin the at-bat. Nick Pivetta came back with a fastball to take the count to 3-1. Swanson then proceeded to swing at the next two pitches way outside the zone and eventually struck out in that big spot.
The Cubs wound up getting zero runs in the inning after Swanson struck out, Pete Crow-Armstrong popped out to shortstop, and Alex Bregman flew out to center field. The team's stars simply didn’t show up in that big spot.
The North Siders also had another chance to get back in the game in the fourth inning. Following a Nico Hoerner RBI single to cut the deficit to one, the Cubs had runners on first and second with only one out. However, they failed to bring in another run in the inning.
The Padres added to their lead the next inning with a two-run shot from Gavin Sheets. Manager Craig Counsell made the questionable decision to pull Kevin Gausman after allowing a one-out double to Xander Bogaerts. Palencia came in and allowed that homer, helping the Padres extend their lead.
With San Diego holding a 4-1 lead entering the fifth inning, this was exactly the kind of game this team wanted. The Padres then relied on their bullpen, with Bradgley Rodríguez, Jason Adam, Adrian Morejon, and Mason Miller combining to throw 4 ⅔ scoreless innings to end the game.
The Cubs didn’t have an answer for the surging Padres this series. They didn’t have the pitching to carry them, and the offense went quiet at the worst time. This Wild Card Round loss marks the ninth straight year Chicago has failed to reach the National League Championship Series.
The Cubs will now enter the offseason with plenty of question marks. Matthew Boyd, Kevin Gausman, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Tyrone Taylor, Shota Imanaga, Carson Kelly, and Clay Holmes (player option) will all be free agents.
