By admin 
Since the advent of the current postseason formula in 2022, teams are 15-1 when winning Game 1 of a wild-card series.
That’s not all that’s working in the Padres’ favor ahead of Wednesday’s Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Because Michael King covered seven innings in Game 1 and Yuki Matsui and Joe Musgrove covered the final frames, the Padres have all their best relief arms rested to back up Nick Pivetta’s start.
Last year, left-hander Adrián Morejón’s 4⅓ innings were second on the team in the three-game series at Wrigley Field and right-hander Mason Miller struck out eight over 2⅔ innings in his two appearances. Both warmed up on Tuesday but did not have to pitch in a playoff blowout.
“Yeah, it definitely gives us an advantage with those two guys to be able to use them judiciously over the next two days,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said ahead of Wednesday’s 7:10 p.m. first pitch (Peacock / NBCSN). “We’ve still got to be careful not wearing them out today in case there is a tomorrow. But obviously they’re two best guys in the bullpen, and we’d like to finish out the game with those two guys.”
The Cubs announced late Tuesday that right-hander Kevin Gausman would start Game 2, so Stammen will use Dustin Harris in left field and in the two-hole.
Austin Hays has good history with Gausman (see pitching matchup below), so he’ll get the start at DH and in the eight-hole between rookie catcher Ethan Salas and Jake Cronenworth in the nine-hole. That will preserve the Padres’ most dangerous bench hitter (Gavin Sheets) for a righty later in the game, as well as leave options for lefties (Miguel Andujar,Luis Campusano and Samad Taylor) in case a cat-and-mouse game breaks out between Stammen and Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
The 20-year-old Salas will become the youngest player to ever catch a postseason game. The start was foreshadowed by Salas catching every one of Pivetta’s starts since returning from the injured list this month.
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Read about Salas’ story here.
The Padres’ five most prominent hitters – Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, Ty France and Xander Bogaerts – all had two hits each on Tuesday, with Tatis, Machado and Bogaerts all homering in the same game for just the third time ever.
While Stammen declined to identify who could start a potential Game 3, he said everyone but King is available out of the bullpen tonight.
The Cubs managed just three hits, all singles, on Tuesday: two from Nico Hoerner and one from Seiya Suzuki.
Likely NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman each struck out three times.
The Cubs used four relievers behind Matthew Boyd’s start, with all of them allowing at least one baserunner.
Here is how the Cubs will line up for Game 2:
Wednesday’s pitching matchup
Cubs RHP Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA
The 35-year-old veteran is nursing a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury sustained in the field in his last start. Gausman had a 4.83 ERA in nine starts after the trade from Toronto to Chicago. The former Giant has a 3.04 ERA 9in 53 ⅓ career innings against the Padres. He struck out eight and allowed three runs on four hits and three walks in six innings in a no-decision with the Blue Jays earlier this season at Petco Park.
Here is how current Padres have fared against Gausman:
Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
He’s walked two batters in four starts since returning from his flexor injury, posting a 1.45 ERA over 18⅔ innings. Pivetta struck out seven over 4 ⅔ shutout innings last week at Dodger Stadium. He’s topped out at five innings and 87 pitches since coming off the injured list. Pivetta has a 3.96 ERA in 25 regular-season innings against the Cubs. He last faced the Cubs in Game 1 of last year’s NL Wild Card Series, striking out nine over five innings of two-run ball in a no-decision.
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Here is how Pivetta has fared in the regular season against current Cubs:
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This story was originally published September 30, 2026 at 3:51 PM.