MLB Playoffs Preview: San Diego Padres

Pivetta, bullpen arms lead San Diego into Wild Card series

Padres lean on rotation depth and veteran bats against Cubs

SAN DIEGO, California — The Padres enter October with a balanced roster built on starting depth, late-inning power arms, and a veteran lineup. Their Wild Card Series against the Cubs begins Tuesday afternoon at Wrigley Field, with right-hander Nick Pivetta drawing the Game 1 assignment.

Pivetta leads the rotation

San Diego hands the ball to Nick Pivetta, who finished 13–5 with a 2.87 ERA this season. Pivetta has been a steady presence, commanding the zone and keeping hitters off balance. His reliability made him the natural choice to open the series.

Behind him, the Padres can turn to Yu Darvish, Dylan Cease, and Michael King, giving manager Mike Shildt multiple options to stretch innings. Each brings a different style — Darvish’s experience, Cease’s strikeout potential, and King’s versatility — providing depth across the short series.

Bullpen power

San Diego’s bullpen is built to shorten games. Robert Suarez has anchored the ninth inning with a power fastball and late movement that plays under pressure. Alongside him, Mason Miller has emerged as one of the league’s most electric relievers, routinely touching triple digits and overwhelming hitters with sheer velocity. Together, Suarez’s poise and Miller’s dominance give the Padres two premier weapons to close out tight games.

Veteran lineup and a key absence

The Padres’ offense blends star power with balance. Fernando Tatís Jr. brings speed and power at the top, Manny Machado delivers middle-order production and leadership, and Xander Bogaerts adds steady contact and defense.

Luis Arraez gives San Diego one of the game’s best contact hitters, a table-setter who consistently puts the ball in play and sets the stage for the heart of the order. His ability to reach base adds another layer to an already dangerous lineup.

Jackson Merrill provides a left-handed bat with growing pop, while Jake Cronenworth contributes versatility and situational hitting. The lineup will be missing Ramón Laureano, who was ruled out for the Wild Card Series, taking away a right-handed bat and an outfield glove that gave San Diego added depth.

Padres’ outlook

The Padres enter the series confident in their balance. Pivetta sets the tone, the rotation runs deep, and the bullpen features two of the hardest arms in the league. With Tatís, Machado, Bogaerts, and Arraez leading the way, San Diego brings enough offensive firepower to support its pitching even without Laureano available.

Game 1: Cubs vs. Padres
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Time: 3:08 p.m. ET (2:08 p.m. CT)
TV: ABC
Pitching matchup: Matthew Boyd (Cubs, 14–8, 3.21 ERA) vs. Nick Pivetta (Padres, 13–5, 2.87 ERA)