Padres Aim to Eliminate Cubs in NL Wild Card Game 2

San Diego has the Cubs against the wall, but Wednesday’s Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series still carries the feel of unfinished October business. The Padres can close out the best-of-three set at home, while Chicago needs a sharper performance to force a winner-take-all Game 3.

First pitch is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, 9 p.m. CT and 7 p.m. PT, with Peacock and NBCSN carrying the game. The clubs have a little history with extended postseason fights: their 1984 NLCS and last year’s Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field both went the full distance.

The immediate history favors San Diego. Teams taking the opening game of a best-of-three Wild Card Series have won 21 of the 24 series played under that format. Still, Padres manager Craig Stammen was not treating the Cubs as a club ready to fold.

“We only won one game, and there is still work left to finish this,” Stammen said. “Chicago is a very good team. They were not at their best tonight, but I expect their best tomorrow. We have to be ready to meet it, and we have the San Diego fans behind us.”

Gausman gets the ball for Chicago

The Cubs will turn to Gausman in a must-win assignment. The right-hander arrived at the Trade Deadline for games with this kind of weight, bringing 14 career postseason appearances and recent World Series experience with Toronto.

Gausman started two Game 1s during Toronto’s run to the World Series last fall and made two Fall Classic starts, compiling a 2.93 ERA in the 2025 postseason. His regular-season work since joining Chicago has been uneven, and a left shoulder problem has complicated the picture. It is his non-throwing shoulder, though weakness there could still affect his mechanics.

He tested the shoulder by playing catch and throwing a bullpen session before Tuesday’s opener. Gausman said afterward that the mound workout was encouraging, leading the Cubs to stay with him for Game 2. He enters at 9-12 with a 4.51 ERA, and his splitter has generated a 42.9 percent whiff rate.

San Diego will counter with Nick Pivetta, who enters 3-2 with a 2.86 ERA and a 1.45 mark across four September starts. Pivetta spent nearly five months on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain, with an apparent hiccup during his first rehab outing raising doubts about whether he would return at all.

He did return, and the Padres again saw the version of Pivetta who placed sixth in last season’s NL Cy Young Award voting. He also started Game 1 of last year’s Wild Card Series against the Cubs, taking the loss despite allowing two runs over five innings.

Projected lineups

Chicago could again keep Alex Bregman at designated hitter as he continues to recover from facial fractures suffered Sept. 20. Manager Craig Counsell took the cautious route in Game 1, and a similar decision would likely leave the alignment largely unchanged against another right-handed starter. If Bregman is cleared to play third base, left-handed hitter Michael Conforto could become an option for the lineup.

For the Padres, Salas is expected to make his postseason debut with Gausman on the mound. At 20 years and 121 days old, he would become the youngest catcher ever to work a postseason game. Sheets, recently back after missing a month with a plantar plate tear in his left foot, is expected to serve as the designated hitter, while Harris is in line to return to the second spot in the order.

Fresh arms behind the starters

The Cubs treated Tuesday’s lopsided opener with Game 2 in mind. Ryan Rolison was the only high-leverage reliever used, and Counsell avoided leaning on his other starting options out of the bullpen. Except for Game 1 starter Matthew Boyd, Chicago should have nearly everyone available.

That could give Gausman a short hook if his command or shoulder becomes a concern. Clay Holmes, Shota Imanaga and David Peterson are all potential relief options as the Cubs try to collect 27 outs and extend their season.

San Diego also protected most of its bullpen during the opener. Mason Miller is positioned for the late innings, with Adrian Morejon in the setup role. Bradgley Rodriguez and Yuki Matsui could cover the middle frames, although Matsui threw one inning Tuesday. Jason Adam, recently back from a right shoulder strain, may also be available.

For lower-leverage work early, the Padres could look to David Morgan. Walker Buehler and Robbie Ray are further possibilities, though both are also candidates to start a potential Game 3.

Late-season form remains in the room

Chicago’s offensive hope begins with Crow-Armstrong, whose .905 OPS in September was actually below his .943 overall mark for the season. He became only the seventh player in Major League history to finish with at least 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases.

Bregman also arrived in October swinging a hot bat, producing a 1.025 OPS in August and a 1.079 OPS in September. On the pitching side, Peterson posted a 1.27 ERA across his last four outings, while Imanaga carried a 1.96 ERA into his final tune-up. He allowed one homer in 23 innings over the four starts before Sunday’s one-inning appearance.

The Padres’ stars have carried their late-season momentum into the series. Tatis hit 20 of his 25 homers after the All-Star break, Machado also closed the regular season strongly, and both went deep in Game 1. Austin Hays, meanwhile, went 0-for-4 in the opener.

San Diego’s position-player group is healthier than it has been for much of the season, with Miguel Andujar back from a right wrist fracture and Sheets returned from his foot injury. The bullpen remains without Jeremiah Estrada because of a right shoulder impingement. Casey Mize is sidelined by a right ankle sprain and Lucas Giolito by right elbow inflammation, though neither was expected to factor heavily into the Padres’ rotation plans.

For the Cubs, the assignment is straightforward: turn Game 2 into a longer October. For the Padres, Pivetta, the rested bullpen and a crowd ready for a clincher offer the chance to end it before the series gets back to the kind of history these clubs have made together.