The San Diego Padres dominated at Petco Park this season, compiling a 52-29 home record that powered them into the National League Wild Card round. But away from San Diego, things were far less certain. Manny Machado and company stumbled to a 38-43 road mark, leaving their ability to win away from home as one of the series’ defining questions.
That challenge begins Tuesday afternoon when the Padres open their best-of-three playoff set against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chicago, led by Dansby Swanson and a resurgent pitching staff, enjoyed its own home-field edge, finishing 50-29 at the Friendly Confines.
“It’s tough to explain why the results were so different,” Machado admitted Monday after a workout at Wrigley, scheduled at the same time slot as Tuesday’s opener to get a feel for the ballpark’s shifting sun and shade. “But the playoffs are a new start.”
Wrigley’s October History
The Cubs enter with the top NL wild card and home-field advantage for the first round, but history lingers. Chicago hasn’t won a postseason home game since the 2017 NLCS. The club’s last playoff appearance came in 2020, when it was swept at Wrigley by Miami in the Wild Card round.
Still, this version of the Cubs proved tough at home, part of a league-wide trend. Teams across MLB won 54.3% of home games in 2024, the highest mark since the shortened 2020 season (55.7%).
Game 1 Matchup: Pivetta vs. Boyd
Pitching will headline Game 1. San Diego turns to right-hander Nick Pivetta, who put together a career year after signing a four-year, $55 million contract in February. Pivetta went 13-5 with a career-low 2.87 ERA over 181 2/3 innings.
Opposite him will be veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd, a first-year Cub who thrived in Chicago after inking a two-year, $29 million deal last December. Boyd went 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA in 31 starts, and the 34-year-old gets the ball in one of the biggest moments of his career.
Boyd grew emotional talking about the chance to pitch in October at Wrigley, where his late grandfather, a lifelong Cubs fan, once dreamed of seeing him on the mound. “This means everything to me and my family,” Boyd said.
The pitchers are familiar foes. They squared off twice in April, with each earning a win. Boyd threw six scoreless innings in a 7-1 Cubs win at Wrigley, while Pivetta held Chicago to one run over six innings in a 4-2 Padres victory in San Diego.
San Diego manager Mike Shildt has Dylan Cease lined up for Game 2 and Yu Darvish ready if the series reaches a decisive Game 3. Cubs manager Craig Counsell has yet to announce beyond Boyd for Game 1.
Catcher Decisions Loom
Both clubs face roster calls behind the plate. Padres catcher Elias Díaz left Saturday’s regular-season finale with an oblique issue. The 34-year-old struggled at the plate this year (.204, nine homers, 29 RBIs in 106 games), but his veteran presence is valued.
For Chicago, Miguel Amaya has been sidelined since mid-August with an ankle injury. He completed a brief rehab stint at Triple-A Iowa, catching in two games, and could return in time for the series.
What’s at Stake
The Padres are seeking their first postseason series win since 2022, while the Cubs look to erase recent playoff frustrations and feed off their Wrigley faithful. With two strong pitchers on the mound and plenty of October tension in the air, Game 1 sets the tone for a series that could swing quickly either way.
First pitch Tuesday is scheduled for 4:08 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field.
