Brock Beauchamp

We're looking for contributors to write Padres content over the offseason! First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@padresmission.com or reply to this article. Writing Articles If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Padres takes, this is the perfect place. While we generally lean into analytics and analysis, we also take a “come as you are” approach to baseball and give writers a lot of leeway to write about the game in a way that interests them. That could manifest in historical pieces, previews, or regular series. It’s a matter of finding your niche in the fandom and carving out a space for it. Making Videos We're also looking for videographers! Most of our content is on the shorter side (3-7 minutes), though we have space for plenty of different formats and ideas. Like the writing side of the site, we usually lean into analytics, but it's not the only path we're open to exploring. It is also noteworthy that we pay our content creators. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort. If you know someone who might be interested in creating Padres content as a side job, please share this with them!

Every offseason, we offer our You’re The GM! tool to build your ideal Padres roster. This year, we’ve updated and streamlined the tool a bit to improve the experience. The idea behind this feature is to give fans a chance to play the role of General Manager (or CBO or PoBO… you get the idea) for their favorite team, the San Diego Padres. It’s meant to give fans the opportunity to discuss (and, let’s be honest, argue) how they would approach the long, dark MLB offseason. This tool is intended to be informal and fun, so we’ve left it as open as possible. There is a payroll “budget” that loosely resembles the Padres' 2025 payroll, but there is no penalty for going over that number. It’s a guideline, nothing more. Second, you can submit as many blueprints as you like throughout the offseason. As the offseason landscape changes, users often return multiple times over the winter and create new blueprints. Before we get into the breakdown of the tool, you can save your blueprint and come back to it at any time. The only restriction is that you must register an account on the site to create a blueprint (so we can save a draft for you and also post the blueprint for others to discuss). Let’s get into the tool itself. It has four quadrants that work best if addressed in a counter-clockwise order (this tool works much better on a desktop due to its complexity, but it will work on mobile devices if need be). Top Left: The 26-Man Roster We have created a rough guideline for the Padres' 26-man roster today. The roster is flexible; you can add or remove players as you see fit. We’ve also included either guaranteed salaries or, in the case of arbitration and contract options, the recommendations of MLB Trade Rumors. This section is where you build your roster and make changes based on the following two sections. As you make changes to players and salaries, the total payroll number (right side of the screen) will change, allowing you to track your budget on the fly. The bottom field in both columns is for any dead money you assume during the course of your offseason. Acquiring dead money should be uncommon, but we want to give users the option to take on dead salary if it suits their purposes. Bottom Left: Arbitration & Trade Decisions Here, you will find a selection of arbitration options and internal options (usually from the 40-man roster or minor leagues) to assist in building your offseason roster. On the right-hand side of this column, you will see Trade Candidates, a list of the 40 players most likely to be traded this offseason, per MLB Trade Rumors. To help you get up to speed with these candidates, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on trade candidates. Bottom Right: Free Agents Here, you will find the top 50 free agents, again per MLB Trade Rumors. These are sorted by position to facilitate quickly finding your desired free agent and include the recommended salary for that player. Because this is a blueprint for a single year, we only include their projected salary for the coming season, not the number of years or anything else. To help you get up to speed with these free agents, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on the best 50 free agents available this winter. Top Right: Dead Money, Your Total Payroll, & Commentary The only unalterable field on the page is Dead Money; it is players to whom the team has committed money but has no reasonable way to get out of the contract. Below that, you will see the recommended budget, your current total, and the percentage you are over or under that budget. Again, keep in mind the budget is only a guideline, and you can go above it as much as you like… But defend your choices, coward! The following field is Title, which gives other users an idea of what to expect with your blueprint (e.g., Be Unreasonable, Sign Kyle Tucker!). When your blueprint posts for other users, it will read “Your Username’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Be Unreasonable, Sign Kyle Tucker!”. The following field is Your Comments & Explanation, a long-form field meant to type out the rationale behind your decisions. Here is the place to fully explain your trades (including which players are leaving the Padres to bring in new players), why you targeted specific free agents, and any promotions from the minors you advocate or any options you declined to extend to a specific player. This is often multiple paragraphs; you can write up as much detail as you desire. That’s it, you’re done! At this point, you can either publish your blueprint to the forums or save it for later if you feel it’s incomplete. Thank you for joining us at Padres Mission. I hope you enjoy playing the role of general manager, at least for a moment! Start Your Payroll Blueprint Now

San Diego’s decision to exercise Ramón Laureano’s 2026 club option keeps a 2025 midseason addition rostered after one of the most productive years of his career. The option covers the 2026 season at $6.5 million. The 31-year-old Laureano split 2025 between Baltimore and San Diego, appearing in 132 games and accumulating 488 plate appearances. He finished the year with a .281/.342/.512 triple slash, along with 24 home runs and seven stolen bases. His overall offensive line translated to a .364 wOBA and 138 wRC+. With the Padres, Laureano appeared in 50 games after his July 31 trade from the Orioles. In 198 plate appearances for San Diego, he hit .269/.323/.489 with nine home runs and three stolen bases. In San Diego, he posted a .347 wOBA and 127 wRC+, with a 6.6 percent walk rate and 23.7 percent strikeout rate. Defensively, Laureano continued to work primarily in the outfield corners. Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric graded him at -5 OAA for his time in San Diego. Over his combined time with Baltimore and San Diego, one defensive-value framework credited him with -8.7 defensive runs, while his overall WAR was 3.0. Laureano’s season also included multiple injured-list stints. Baltimore placed him on the 10-day injured list on May 24 with a left ankle sprain and later activated him on June 6. After the trade, San Diego placed him on the 10-day injured list on September 27 with a right index finger fracture, before activating him again on October 3.

It's hard to predict how this offseason will unfold, as there is an increasing chance of (yet another) MLB lockout following the 2026 season. Will teams spend big this offseason, hoping to create surety in the face of an unknown collective bargaining agreement? Or will they be hesitant in hopes of a favorable outcome for ownership groups? No matter how it shakes out, teams will need to compete in the 2026 season, and they'll need to sign free agents this winter. DiamondCentric has compiled a complete list of free agents, sortable and searchable by pretty much any metric you need. Looking for a first baseman? A catcher? We have you covered. We offer two pages for your reference: one for position players, the other for pitchers. Free Agent Hitters In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Hitters DiamondCentric.net Here is a complete list of free agent hitters in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason. Free Agent Pitchers In the 2025-2026 MLB Offseason Complete List Of 2025-2026 MLB Free Agent Pitchers DiamondCentric.net Here is a complete list of free agent pitchers in the 2025-2026 MLB offseason.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the San Diego Padres' 2025–2026 offseason, highlighting key dates and events across Major League Baseball’s winter calendar. It includes details on the Winter Meetings, MLB Draft Lottery, and the important deadlines when the Padress must decide on arbitration-eligible players and those with team or mutual contract options. In the sections that follow, you’ll find a list of pending free agents, players with contract options, and a detailed timeline of the offseason ahead. To view the current Padres 40-man roster, view our roster page, updated nightly. The San Diego Padres had a season that felt all too familiar. Despite a roster filled with star power and marquee names, the Padres once again settled into a familiar position, second place in the National League West behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. It marked the fourth time in the past six seasons that San Diego has finished as the runner-up to its longtime division rival. The Padres’ offense was solid but unspectacular, ranking around the middle of the pack across most major categories. Their real strength came from the mound, particularly a dominant bullpen that led all of baseball with a sparkling 3.06 ERA. At the plate, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado continued to anchor the lineup, while Nick Pivetta emerged as a steady presence in the starting rotation. True to form, the Padres were aggressive at the trade deadline, parting ways with top prospect Leo De Vries to acquire electric young closer Mason Miller in a blockbuster move. Yet, for all the regular-season success and bold front office maneuvering, the story ended in heartbreak once again, an early playoff exit at the hands of the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round. Click any link below to jump to an explanation of that event/date. 2026 Offseason Dates & Calendar Oct 24 - Nov 1: World Series Immediately After The World Series: Players Become Free Agents, Trade Market Opens 5 Days After Conclusion Of World Series: Contractual Options Due, Qualifying Offers Due, League-Wide Free Agency Opens Early November: General Manager Meetings Nov 13: The MLB Awards Nov TBA: Rule 5 Protection Deadline, Qualifying Offer Decisions due Nov TBA: Tender Deadline Dec TBA: Announcement of Competitive Balance Picks Dec 7-10: Winter Meetings (Orlando, FL) Dec 10: MLB Draft Lottery Dec 10: Rule 5 Draft January 2026: BBWAA HOF announcement Mid-January: Arbitration agreement deadline Jan 15: International Signing Period Opens January/February 2026: Padres FanFest Late January-Early February: Arbitration Hearings Mid-February: Report to Spring Training February TBA: First Spring Training Game March TBA: MLB Spring Breakout March 25: MLB Opening Night (Yankees @ Giants) March 26: Opening Day (Tigers @ Padres) World Series Game 1 of the 2025 MLB World Series is set for Friday, October 24, with a potential Game 7 scheduled for Saturday, November 1. The offseason officially begins the moment the final out of the World Series is recorded. Players on expiring contracts immediately become free agents, though certain restrictions apply in the first few days that will be detailed later. The day after the World Series ends, teams can resume making trades for the first time since the midseason deadline — marking the official start of the MLB offseason. 5 Days After The Conclusion Of World Series As the offseason begins, free agents are permitted to negotiate exclusively with their most recent team for a five-day period. After that window closes, they are free to engage with all 30 MLB clubs. For the San Diego Padres, several key contributors are set to reach free agency following the 2025 season. Luis Arraez, Dylan Cease, Nestor Cortes, Ryan O’Hearn, and José Iglesias are all on expiring contracts, giving the front office important decisions to make this winter. King and Cease, in particular, will draw considerable attention on the open market, while veterans like Arraez and Iglesias could provide valuable depth wherever they land. It remains to be seen which players the Padres will prioritize in their efforts to keep the roster competitive heading into 2026. Player/Team/Mutual Options During the initial offseason period, teams and players must decide whether to exercise or decline any contractual options for the upcoming year. For the San Diego Padres, several players hold options that will require attention in the coming weeks. On the player side, Robert Suarez has a two-year, $16 million opt-out clause, while Wandy Peralta holds a one-year, $4.45 million player option. Both pitchers have been important pieces in the Padres’ bullpen, and their decisions will have a significant impact on San Diego’s relief depth heading into 2026. Two players, Elias Díaz and Michael King, hold mutual options for the 2026 season. Agreeing on mutual options is relatively rare in Major League Baseball, as they require both the team and the player to agree to extend the contract for another year. Often, one side declines, leading to a buyout instead. In this case, Díaz’s mutual option is worth $7 million with a $2 million buyout, while King’s is valued at $15 million with a $3.75 million buyout. On the club option side, outfielder Ramón Laureano has a $6.5 million option, left-hander Kyle Hart holds a $5 million option with a $500,000 buyout, and utility man Tyler Wade has a $1 million club option with a $50,000 buyout. Qualifying Offers Like contract options, Qualifying Offers must be issued within five days of the World Series’ conclusion. The value of the Qualifying Offer changes annually, as it’s based on the average salary of MLB’s 125 highest-paid players from the previous season. For the upcoming offseason, that figure is projected to be $22 million. To be eligible, a player must have spent the entire previous season with one team and must never have previously received a Qualifying Offer. Clubs have until five days after the World Series ends to extend the offer, and players then have until mid-November to decide whether to accept or decline. If a player rejects the offer and signs elsewhere, their former team receives draft-pick compensation, with the specifics depending on the club’s market size, revenue-sharing status, and the value of the player’s new deal. The Padres gave the qualifying offer to starting pitchers Dylan Cease and Michael King this offseason; both declined their offer and are now free agents. The Padres will receive two compensation picks in the 2026 MLB Draft as a result. Free Agency Free agency officially begins the day after the World Series concludes. However, during the initial five-day period, players are only permitted to negotiate with their previous club. Once that window closes, full free agency opens, allowing all 30 teams to contact and negotiate with any available player. Depending on the length of the World Series, league-wide free agency is expected to begin between November 2 and November 6. As previously mentioned, the Padres have several players set to hit the open market, Luis Arraez, Dylan Cease, Nestor Cortes, Ryan O’Hearn, and José Iglesias. Each brings a different value profile to the table, from Cease’s frontline potential to Arraez’s contact-driven offense and Iglesias’s veteran versatility. San Diego’s front office will face key decisions in determining which players to pursue for potential returns and which to let walk as they look to reshape the roster for 2026. Free agency will continue throughout the offseason and into spring training. General Manager Meetings Roughly a week after the World Series concludes, all 30 general managers gather for meetings to discuss league business and key offseason matters. While these sessions don’t typically draw much attention from fans, they often help establish the groundwork for trades and other transactions that take place later in the winter. Rule 5 Protection/Draft The Rule 5 Draft takes place each winter (with the exception of 2020) and offers every organization a chance to uncover unprotected talent from other clubs. Under Rule 5 regulations, players who signed at age 18 or younger must be protected within five seasons, while those who signed at 19 or older must be protected within four. Teams safeguard eligible prospects by adding them to the 40-man roster — a task that can be tricky in years when roster space is tight. For the Padres, several prospects will need to be evaluated for protection ahead of the mid-November deadline to avoid exposure in this year’s Rule 5 Draft, which is scheduled for December 10. That group is expected to include Miguel Mendez, Jagger Haynes, and Garrett Hawkins, among others. Each represents a developmental investment the organization will weigh carefully before deciding who earns a coveted 40-man spot. Players who are not added to the 40-man roster by the deadline can be selected by another team for a $100,000 fee. Any player drafted must remain on the selecting club’s active Major League roster (or MLB injured list) for the entire season. If that player is later designated for assignment and clears waivers, he must be offered back to his original team for $50,000. While most Rule 5 selections don’t turn into stars, the process has produced its share of hidden gems over the years — including impact relievers and late bloomers who carved out valuable roles. For the Padres, this draft represents both a risk of losing unprotected talent and an opportunity to identify a surprise contributor from another system. The MLB Awards The MLB Awards return to Las Vegas on November 13, taking place at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Among the honors announced will be the Hank Aaron Awards, Comeback Players of the Year, Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman Relievers of the Year, the Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter of the Year, and the All-MLB First and Second Team selections. Around the same time, the BBWAA Awards, including Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young, and Most Valuable Player, will also be revealed. Non-Tender Deadline & Arbitration Players with between three and six years of MLB service time automatically qualify for salary arbitration. There’s also the Super Two designation, which allows a select group of players with just under three years of service to become eligible as well. Arbitration gives players still under team control a chance to argue for compensation they feel reflects their on-field performance. If a team believes a player’s projected arbitration salary exceeds their value, they can non-tender the player instead of offering a contract. Although arbitration eligibility depends on service time, any player with fewer than six years in the majors can technically be non-tendered. Doing so immediately makes them a free agent, while also freeing up a spot on the 40-man roster. Teams have until the non-tender deadline (typically in late November) to decide whether to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players. Once tendered, the two sides can continue negotiating a salary until mid-January. If no agreement is reached, the case proceeds to an arbitration hearing, where both sides submit salary figures, and a neutral arbitrator selects one. Hearings usually take place between late January and mid-February, with pitchers often going first due to their earlier Spring Training report dates. The arbitrator’s ruling is final, and the player is paid that amount for the upcoming season. While the process ensures fairness, it can sometimes strain relationships between players and teams Arbitration Eligible Padres (Expected $ in parenthesis) Adrian Morejon: $3.6MM Jason Adam: $6.8MM Gavin Sheets: $4.3MM JP Sears: $3.5MM Luis Campusano: $1MM Mason Miller: $3.4MM Freddy Fermin: $1.8MM Competitive Balance Draft Picks Each offseason, Major League Baseball announces the Competitive Balance Draft picks, designed to help smaller-market and lower-revenue teams maintain parity across the league. These selections, first introduced in 2012, are awarded annually based on a formula that factors in a club’s market size, revenue, and winning percentage. Eligible teams are placed into one of two rounds: Round A, which occurs between the first and second rounds of the MLB Draft, and Round B, which takes place between the second and third rounds. In addition to the bonus draft pick, teams receiving a Competitive Balance selection also receive a slightly larger international signing pool. Unlike other draft picks, Competitive Balance selections can be traded once, though they cannot be exchanged purely for cash. The Padres last received a Competitive Balance pick in 2021, when they were awarded a Round B selection. Since then, San Diego’s sustained revenue levels and recent competitive success have kept them out of the pool of eligible teams. As a result, they are not expected to receive a Competitive Balance pick for the 2026 MLB Draft, with official announcements typically coming in early December. Winter Meetings Each December, high-ranking executives from all 30 organizations, along with agents, players, and media members, gather for the MLB Winter Meetings, a four-day event that serves as the centerpiece of the offseason. This year’s meetings will take place in Orlando, Florida, from December 7 to 10. The Winter Meetings are where the bulk of offseason business takes shape. Trades, free agent signings, and major rumors often dominate the headlines during this stretch. Juan Soto, who was the central story of the 2023 Winter Meetings when he was traded to the Yankees, once again stole the spotlight this year after signing a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. He was joined in the headlines by Max Fried, who signed with the New York Yankees, and Garrett Crochet, who was traded to the Boston Red Sox in one of the biggest deals of the week. If there is one point on the calendar when the most MLB transactions are likely to occur, this is it. In addition to roster moves, both the MLB Draft Lottery and the Rule 5 Draft take place during the Winter Meetings, adding even more intrigue to one of baseball’s busiest weeks of the year. MLB Draft Lottery In 2023, Major League Baseball implemented a draft lottery system aimed at discouraging teams from intentionally losing games to secure higher draft positions. Under this format, all clubs that miss the postseason are assigned odds to land one of the top six selections in the following year’s draft. While teams with the worst regular-season records still have the best chances, the lottery adds an element of randomness to what was once strictly determined by reverse standings. The Padres, having reached the postseason, are not part of the draft lottery. Instead, their draft position is determined by the order in which playoff teams are eliminated, as well as by revenue-sharing status and regular-season winning percentage. The 12 postseason clubs select in the following order: Wild Card Series losers, Division Series losers, Championship Series losers, World Series runner-up, and finally, the World Series champion. Since San Diego was eliminated in the Wild Card round, the Padres are projected to hold a mid-to-late first-round selection in the upcoming draft, a position reflective of both their postseason appearance and competitive regular season. BBWAA HOF Announcement Every January, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) announces its voting results for the newest class of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Players become eligible five years after retirement and can remain on the ballot for up to ten years, provided they continue to receive at least five percent of the vote each cycle. Earning election requires appearing on 75 percent of submitted ballots. If a player falls below the five-percent threshold, they are removed from future ballots and can only be reconsidered later by one of the Hall’s era-based committees. This year’s ballot lacks top-end HOF candidates but still showcases several notable names, including Cole Hamels and Ryan Braun, who are making their first appearance, and Manny Ramírez, who is entering his final year of eligibility. 2026 International Signing Period Opens The international signing period reopens on January 15, marking one of the most important opportunities for MLB organizations to acquire young talent from around the globe. While the majority of signings come from Latin America, teams also scout and sign players from Asia, Europe, and other regions. During this window, clubs can reach agreements with foreign players who are 16 years or older. Signing bonuses vary widely — for example, Ronald Acuña Jr. signed with the Braves for just $100,000 in 2014 and became one of the game’s brightest stars, while other highly touted prospects signed for millions but never reached expectations. The international market remains one of baseball’s most unpredictable talent pipelines. Each team operates under a hard spending cap, which varies depending on market size and other factors. This year, the Padres fall into the $5,940,000 bonus pool tier. Bonuses of $10,000 or less do not count against that total. Many agreements are reached informally well before the signing date, as teams invest years in scouting and relationship-building with these young players and their families. While some international signees advance quickly through the minors and reach the big leagues within five or six years, others take longer or never fully develop. The international signing period runs through December 15, after which clubs immediately turn their attention to scouting and preparing for the next class of international talent. Padres FanFest Although official dates have not yet been announced, the Padres FanFest is traditionally held near the end of January at Petco Park. The annual event gives fans the opportunity to meet their favorite players and coaches, collect autographs, and celebrate the start of a new baseball season. It’s a fun, family-friendly tradition that brings Padres fans together for a memorable day of baseball excitement before Spring Training gets underway. Spring Training 2026! Padres pitchers and catchers will report to the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona in mid-February, with position players set to arrive a few days later for the start of full-squad workouts. Spring Training games in the Cactus League will begin shortly after and run for about a month as the team prepares for the upcoming regular season. Dates for the Padres’ first Cactus League game and MLB’s Spring Breakout have not yet been announced, but both are expected to take place in the traditional February/March window. The Spring Breakout event will once again showcase each organization’s top prospects in a series of exhibition games against other clubs’ best young talent. The 2026 MLB regular season is scheduled to officially open on March 25, when the New York Yankees face the San Francisco Giants on Opening Night. Unlike recent years, there will be no international series to begin the season, with all Opening Day games taking place in North America. The Padres, along with the rest of Major League Baseball, will open their season the following day, marking the official return of baseball in full force. Thank you for reading, and I hope this guide helped make sense of the many dates and details that come with the MLB offseason. It can be a lot to keep track of! I’ll continue to provide updates as more specific information becomes available. Enjoy the offseason, and here’s to a great 2026 season ahead!

Padres pitching dominated Cubs hitters on Wednesday, forcing a winner-take-all game three in Chicago. The starters are right-handers Jameson Taillon for Chicago and Yu Darvish for San Diego. In 2025, Taillon posted a 3.68 ERA, and Darvish a 5.38 as an injury-plagued season limited him to only 15 starts. Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) tells a different story, though; Taillon has a 2025 FIP of 5.00, and Darvish has a 4.83 FIP. This game is unlikely to become a pitcher's duel. Cubs Bullpen Usage Game 1 (Tuesday), Chicago’s relief corps delivered 4 2/3 perfect innings behind starter Matthew Boyd. The sequence was Daniel Palencia for 1 2/3, then Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge, and Brad Keller covering the final three innings. In Game 2 (Wednesday), the Cubs used an opener approach. Andrew Kittredge handled the 1st, followed by Shota Imanaga for bulk innings. After that, lefty Caleb Thielbar, righty Colin Rea, and lefty Taylor Rogers finished it off; their batters faced were Kittredge 5, Imanaga 17, Thielbar 4, Rea 6, Rogers 3. Kittredge is the only Cubs pitcher to appear in both games so far, and he is likely out for Thursday's game as a result. Padres Bullpen Usage Game 1, San Diego followed starter Nick Pivetta with Adrian Morejon, Mason Miller, and Jeremiah Estrada. In Game 2, Dylan Cease started and worked 3 2/3. Adrian Morejon covered 2 1/3 innings and threw 33 pitches, Mason Miller struck out the first five batters he faced and threw 27 pitches, and Robert Suarez recorded a four-out save to close a 3-0 win. It's likely that both Morejon and Miller will be unavailable for Thursday's game. Padres Batters Vs Jameson Taillon Jameson Taillon vs. San Diego Padres: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Xander Bogaerts R 28 28 6 3 0 0 2 0 5 .214 .214 .321 .536 0 0 0 0 1 2 Ryan O'Hearn L 17 16 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .188 .235 .188 .423 0 0 0 0 1 3 Martín Maldonado R 16 14 4 1 0 1 1 1 2 .286 .375 .571 .946 0 0 1 1 1 4 Luis Arráez L 13 13 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231 .231 .231 .462 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jose Iglesias R 13 13 7 2 0 1 3 0 1 .538 .538 .923 1.462 0 0 0 0 0 6 Gavin Sheets L 11 10 3 1 0 0 0 1 3 .300 .364 .400 .764 0 0 0 0 0 7 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 6 6 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 .333 .333 .833 1.167 0 0 0 0 0 8 Manny Machado R 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 .200 .000 .200 0 0 0 0 0 9 Jake Cronenworth L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Freddy Fermin R 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/2/2025. Cubs Batters Vs Yu Darvish Yu Darvish vs. Chicago Cubs: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Justin Turner R 27 24 5 1 0 1 1 3 10 .208 .296 .375 .671 0 0 0 0 0 2 Dansby Swanson R 22 19 3 1 0 0 1 3 6 .158 .273 .211 .483 0 0 1 0 0 3 Ian Happ B 14 13 2 0 0 0 2 1 6 .154 .214 .154 .368 0 0 0 0 0 4 Nico Hoerner R 11 10 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 .200 .273 .400 .673 0 0 0 0 0 5 Carson Kelly R 10 10 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .300 .300 .300 .600 0 0 0 0 0 6 Kyle Tucker L 6 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167 .167 .167 .333 0 0 0 0 0 7 Seiya Suzuki R 5 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 .250 .400 .500 .900 0 0 0 0 0 8 Michael Busch L 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Pete Crow-Armstrong L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/2/2025.

Chicago will treat today as a tandem day on the mound: Andrew Kittredge will open, then Shota Imanaga will follow with a bulk outing. Kittredge worked a clean eighth yesterday. This season, he has held right-handed hitters to a .690 OPS and left-handed hitters to a .541 OPS while his season FIP sits at 3.40. Over his last six starts, Imanaga has a 5.97 ERA with 12 home runs allowed in 34 2/3 innings, and he has allowed 31 homers in 144 2/3 frames this year. Imanaga Against Padres Hitters Shota Imanaga vs. San Diego Padres: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Luis Arráez L 10 9 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .111 .200 .111 .311 0 0 0 0 0 2 Xander Bogaerts R 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 3 Manny Machado R 9 9 1 0 0 1 1 0 6 .111 .111 .444 .556 0 0 0 0 0 4 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 9 8 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .375 .444 .375 .819 0 0 0 0 0 5 Jake Cronenworth L 6 6 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .500 .833 0 0 0 0 0 6 Martín Maldonado R 6 5 1 0 0 1 1 1 2 .200 .333 .800 1.133 0 0 0 0 1 7 Jose Iglesias R 4 4 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 .750 .750 1.000 1.750 0 0 0 0 0 8 Jackson Merrill L 3 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 .333 .333 .667 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Freddy Fermin R 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .500 .000 .500 0 0 0 1 0 10 Gavin Sheets L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/1/2025. Dylan Cease draws a conventional start for San Diego. His overall season included ups and downs, but his September trend was upward: in five starts last month, he recorded a 3.12 ERA with a 2.56 FIP. Cease Against Cubs Hitters Dylan Cease vs. Chicago Cubs: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Ian Happ B 24 21 1 0 0 0 0 3 10 .048 .167 .048 .214 0 0 0 0 1 2 Willi Castro B 23 23 5 0 0 1 2 0 8 .217 .217 .348 .565 0 0 0 0 0 3 Kyle Tucker L 14 12 4 1 0 0 1 2 3 .333 .429 .417 .845 0 0 1 0 0 4 Nico Hoerner R 13 9 2 1 0 0 0 3 2 .222 .462 .333 .795 0 0 1 1 0 5 Michael Busch L 9 8 2 0 0 2 4 1 4 .250 .333 1.000 1.333 0 0 0 0 0 6 Justin Turner R 8 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .125 .125 .125 .250 0 0 0 0 0 7 Pete Crow-Armstrong L 5 4 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 .500 .600 .750 1.350 0 0 0 0 0 8 Dansby Swanson R 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 9 Reese McGuire L 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Seiya Suzuki R 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 11 Matt Shaw R 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 10/1/2025. Bullpen usage from yesterday shapes how both sides can deploy relief behind today’s starters. For Chicago, Matthew Boyd covered 4 1/3 innings before the bullpen recorded a postseason-record stretch by retiring 14 consecutive batters without a baserunner. Daniel Palencia handled 1 2/3 innings, followed by one inning each from Drew Pomeranz, Kittredge, and Brad Keller. San Diego used four relievers behind Nick Pivetta’s five innings. Mason Miller pitched the 7th inning. Adrian Morejon covered one inning. Jeremiah Estrada worked 2/3 of an inning, and Wandy Peralta recorded the final 1/3 of the 8th. That usage left the Padres’ late-inning group relatively distributed entering today, with Cease on a standard starter’s workload. Matchup-wise, Kittredge’s opening inning will likely see him face Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez, and Manny Machado. The Cubs used him yesterday in that same section of the order. Once Imanaga enters, Chicago can stagger right-on-left plate appearances for San Diego’s middle, then turn back to late-inning options after 2 or 3 trips through the order. On the other side, Cease’s September FIP hopefully represents what the Padres will receive in a must-win game. With both teams’ bullpens active yesterday but receiving an off-day on Monday, almost everyone should be available out of the bullpen based on game situation. Padres Bullpen Usage FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Estrada 0 19 0 0 10 29 Morgan 18 0 21 0 0 39 Miller 25 17 0 0 13 55 Hart 16 0 0 0 0 16 Suárez 0 9 0 0 0 9 Morejón 0 8 0 0 9 17 Peralta 21 0 0 0 6 27 Rodríguez 21 0 21 0 0 42 Matsui 0 37 0 0 0 37 Vasquez 0 0 19 0 0 19

The Cubs host the Padres at Wrigley Field for game one of the best-of-three National League Wild Card Series; San Diego has tabbed Nick Pivetta as their game one starter, and the series will be played entirely at Wrigley Field. Cubs hitters vs Nick Pivetta Pivetta, a right-hander, showed reverse splits in 2025: he allowed a .239 wOBA to left-handed batters and a .272 wOBA to right-handed batters. Chicago’s September production offers a few specific matchups to watch. Michael Busch (LHB) posted a .244/.337/.634 (.971 OPS) in September (95 PA). Ian Happ (switch-hitter) produced a .287/.382/.511 (.893 OPS) in September (110 PA). Seiya Suzuki (RHB) logged a .232/.333/.478 (.811 OPS) in September (81 PA). Nick Pivetta vs. Chicago Cubs: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Dansby Swanson R 35 34 10 1 0 2 5 1 11 .294 .314 .500 .814 0 0 0 0 0 2 Kyle Tucker L 12 10 2 1 0 0 2 1 2 .200 .250 .300 .550 0 1 0 0 0 3 Ian Happ B 11 10 3 1 0 0 0 1 6 .300 .364 .400 .764 0 0 0 0 0 4 Justin Turner R 9 8 5 2 0 2 3 1 0 .625 .667 1.625 2.292 0 0 0 0 0 5 Reese McGuire L 7 6 2 0 0 0 0 1 2 .333 .429 .333 .762 0 0 0 0 0 6 Carson Kelly R 6 6 3 0 1 0 1 0 3 .500 .500 .833 1.333 0 0 0 0 0 7 Michael Busch L 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 .200 .000 .200 0 0 0 0 0 8 Seiya Suzuki R 5 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 .200 .200 .200 .400 0 0 0 0 1 9 Willi Castro B 4 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 10 Nico Hoerner R 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 11 Pete Crow-Armstrong L 4 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 .333 .500 .333 .833 0 0 0 0 0 12 Matt Shaw R 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500 1.000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 9/29/2025. Padres hitters vs Matthew Boyd Left-hander Matthew Boyd draws the Game 1 start for Chicago, nudging past Shota Imanaga to open the Cubs’ postseason. In 2025, Boyd held left-handed batters to a .258 wOBA and right-handed batters to a .297 wOBA. Manny Machado finished September with a .207/.250/.425 (.675 OPS), while Fernando Tatis Jr. finished the regular season with a .293/.352/.549 (.900 OPS) slash in September. Matthew Boyd vs. San Diego Padres: Current Batters Table Rk Player B PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS SH SF IBB HBP GIDP 1 Xander Bogaerts R 18 16 3 0 0 1 3 2 3 .188 .278 .375 .653 0 0 0 0 1 2 Manny Machado R 14 13 5 2 0 0 3 0 3 .385 .357 .538 .896 0 1 0 0 0 3 Luis Arráez L 9 7 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 .429 .556 .571 1.127 0 0 0 1 0 4 Freddy Fermin R 7 7 2 1 0 0 2 0 3 .286 .286 .429 .714 0 0 0 0 0 5 Elias Díaz R 6 5 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .400 .500 .400 .900 0 0 0 0 0 6 Fernando Tatis Jr. R 6 6 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 .167 .167 .167 .333 0 0 0 0 0 7 Jackson Merrill L 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 8 Jose Iglesias R 3 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .333 .667 0 0 0 0 0 9 Jake Cronenworth L 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 .000 0 0 0 0 0 Provided by Stathead.com: Found with Stathead. See Full Results. Generated 9/29/2025. Defensive context Outs on contact could swing this game. Chicago’s center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong ranks among MLB’s 2025 leaders with +21 Outs Above Average, providing elite gap coverage behind any starter the Cubs deploy. At shortstop, Dansby Swanson is again a positive in Statcast’s range metrics (+1 OAA at SS in 2025), a drop from previous seasons but still capable. For San Diego, Fernando Tatis Jr. brings plus defense in right field (+7 OAA), a notable factor against Wrigley’s alley-driven extra-base profile. Notes On Key Matchups Cubs LHB (Busch, etc.) vs Pivetta (R): Pivetta’s 2025 wOBA allowed to LHB was .239; Busch carried a .971 OPS in September. Cubs RHB (Suzuki, etc.) vs Pivetta: Pivetta allowed a .272 wOBA to RHB; Suzuki posted an .811 OPS in September. Padres RHB (Tatis, Machado) vs Boyd (L): Boyd allowed a .297 wOBA to RHB; Machado logged a .675 OPS in September; Tatis finished with a .353 season wOBA

Luis Campusano homered and doubled, while Clay Dungan tripled and Nate Mondou contributed as El Paso topped Albuquerque. Victor Lizarraga delivered five one-run innings, handing off to Omar Cruz, Bradgley Rodriguez, and Sean Reynolds for the save. San Antonio rode Luis Gutierrez’s five scoreless with help from Johan Moreno, José Geraldo, and Harry Gustin. Albert Fabian’s two-run double and Braedon Karpathios’ two-RBI single provided cushion, with Damon Dues reaching three times and Wyatt Hoffman scoring. Padres Transactions No Roster Moves. Campusano Sparks Early, Dungan Triples, Lizarraga Leads Chihuahuas Past Isotopes Box Score Luis Campusano set the tone at Southwest University Park. After Albuquerque scratched across a first-inning run, Campusano answered in the bottom half with a solo shot to left to even the game, then El Paso seized control in the third. Tim Locastro lined a single, Yonathan Perlaza followed with an RBI double to right to put the Chihuahuas ahead, Clay Dungan ripped a run-scoring triple to right, and Campusano capped the surge with an RBI double to left for a 4-1 lead. That cushion held behind a steady night from Victor Lizarraga. The right-hander worked five innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He kept the Isotopes to a lone run before handing it off to the bullpen. Omar Cruz yielded a solo homer in the sixth but otherwise covered two innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Bradgley Rodriguez bridged the eighth with a scoreless frame, walking one and striking out one, then Sean Reynolds closed the door in the ninth for his fifth save. Campusano finished 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, and two RBIs, pacing an offense that also featured multi-hit nights from Dungan and Nate Mondou. Perlaza doubled and drove in a run, while Locastro scored after a leadoff knock. El Paso’s infield turned two double plays, a 4-6-3 started by Mondou in the fifth and a 6-4-3 initiated by Dungan in the sixth, stalling Isotopes threats and sealing a 4-2 win for the Chihuahuas. Fabian’s Two-Run Double, Gutierrez Fires Five Scoreless As Missions Beat Springfield Box Score San Antonio got things rolling immediately in Springfield. After a single by Devin Ortiz and a soft single from Eguy Rosario, Romeo Sanabria drew a walk, and Braedon Karpathios punched a two-run single to center for a 2-0 first-inning lead. On the mound, Luis Gutierrez was sharp, working five scoreless innings with two hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. The infield backed him with a crisp double play turned by Rosario, Ryan Jackson, and Sanabria. The Missions added on in the seventh. Damon Dues worked a walk, Wyatt Hoffman singled, and Albert Fabian lashed a two-run double to right to make it 4-0. They tacked on one more in the eighth when Jackson drew a bases-loaded walk that brought in Sanabria, then stole second. Dues also made a play in right field, cutting down a runner trying to stretch to second. Hoffman had a 2-for-4 night and a run, while Fabian finished 1-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Karpathios added two RBI on his first-inning knock, and Dues reached three times on walks and scored. After Gutierrez departed, Johan Moreno allowed one run over 1 2/3 innings with one strikeout and no walks. José Geraldo followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out one, and Harry Gustin closed the Cardinals out with one scoreless inning and one strikeout.