Chicago must ambush San Diego’s rotation and rely on marquee stars like Alex Bregman to bypass an elite bullpen as this high-stakes postseason rematch shifts to Petco Park.
The Chicago Cubs will face the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card Round.
This is a rematch of last year’s Wild Card Round, when the Cubs took down the Padres in three games at Wrigley Field. Game 1 of this series will take place on Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. CT at Petco Park.
Here are three keys for the Cubs to win this series against the Padres.
Get To Padres Starters Early
The Padres’ strength entering the postseason is their bullpen. Their bullpen had the fifth-lowest ERA in the regular season and has a slew of arms to carry them in the later innings. Adrian Morejon, Mason Miller, Bradgley Rodriguez, and Yuki Matsui have all been dominant this season.
Morejon (2.83 ERA), Miller (1.67 ERA), Rodriguez (2.19 ERA), and Matsui (1.83 ERA) were all untouchable in the regular season. The Cubs simply can’t go down early because they’ll then have to rally against these elite bullpen arms.
Chicago has to get to the Padres' starters early. Getting to Michael King (Game 1) and Nick Pivetta (Game 2) in the first few innings will prevent these relievers from pitching with a lead.
Stars Show Up
The Cubs will need their stars to show up in this big series against the Padres. These Cubs stars have to show up in the biggest moments when the lights are the brightest. Players like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, and Alex Bregman need to come through.
The future National League MVP needs to put the team on his back as he did throughout the regular season. Suzuki has to bring his power in the postseason. Bregman needs to show why the Cubs paid him all that money in the offseason.
The margin for error is so small in the postseason. Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki, and Bregman have to hit like the stars that they are.
Bullpen Holds Its Own
The Cubs bullpen has certainly had its ups and downs throughout the season. Daniel Palencia struggled after returning from the IL in August. Jacob Webb hit a rough patch in late August/early September. Trade deadline acquisition Ryan Zeferjahn has also regressed since his dominant start wth the Angels earlier in the year.
It’s important for this shaky Cubs bullpen to hold its own in this round. Ryan Rolison has to get outs against left-handed hitters. Palencia needs to have his swing-and-miss stuff back, and Webb must return to being dominant on the mound.
If these bullpen arms don’t, the Cubs could be in trouble.
