Summary of the Article:
The San Diego Padres face elimination in their NL wildcard series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, with Game 2 set for 2:08 PM PT on Wednesday. After a 3-1 victory for the Cubs in Game 1, Padres manager Mike Schilt acknowledged the challenge but expressed confidence in his team’s ability to respond.
Historically, teams winning Game 1 at home have a strong track record, with the Cubs noting their Game 1 win has brought them closer to success. The Padres will start RHP Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.55 ERA), who has shown improvement lately, while the Cubs will use RHP Andrew Kittledge (4-3, 3.40 ERA) as an opener.
The lineups will reflect the teams’ strategies; the Padres, dealing with the absence of Ramon Laureano due to injury, may adjust their batting order. The Cubs are likely to stick to their successful Game 1 lineup.
On the bullpen front, both teams have rested pitchers ready for action. The Padres’ bullpen features Michael King and Robert Suarez, while the Cubs will likely utilize their main bullpen group for support.
In terms of player updates, the Padres are missing Laureano and possibly Elias Diaz in future rounds, while the Cubs are monitoring the return of Tucker from injury.
Key stats show that the Padres went hitless in Game 1 with their main hitters, while Cubs’ Suzuki has been exceptionally hot with five homers in recent games.
Historically, the Padres and Cubs have split their postseason meetings, with the Padres looking to overcome their lack of wins at Wrigley Field. The Cubs aim to win their first postseason series at home since 2016.
