Facing trouble in the third inning against MLB's top offense, the veteran right-hander dug deep and executed when he needed to, helping to punch San Diego's ticket to the NLDS and a matchup with the Brewers.

The Padres dominated Game 1 and now has a chance to end the series tonight. But they’ll need to execute in a few key areas if they want to finish off the Cubs and move on to Milwaukee.

The Padres dominated Game 1 and now has a chance to end the series tonight. But they’ll need to execute in a few key areas if they want to finish off the Cubs and move on to Milwaukee.

Injured in April, Nick Pivetta reappeared for four September starts before he was named the Padres' Game 2 starter against the Cubs. Is he ready for a full postseason workload after that truncated effort?

Injured in April, Nick Pivetta reappeared for four September starts before he was named the Padres' Game 2 starter against the Cubs. Is he ready for a full postseason workload after that truncated effort?

If the Padres are going to have success in the 2026 postseason, it's going to have to come on the strength of Fernando Tatis Jr. and their core group of bats. For one night, that proved to be the case in the clearest fashion possible.

Who were the top performers in Triple-A postseason action?

Nick Pivetta looks to build off Michael King's tremendous Game 1, while San Diego's offense aims to solve Kevin Gausman as it tries to advance to the NL Division Series.

The Astros and White Sox each tabbed Johnny Wholestaff for Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series Tuesday, setting off some debate and collective laments on social media. Get used to it, though. This fall will belong to hard throwers on short assignments. Blame ABS.

ALT: Padres Win

The right-hander, San Diego's top starter all season, set a dominant tone by handling the Cubs' top hitters and taking a no-hitter against MLB's best offense into the seventh inning.

The Padres and Cubs are set to square off in the Wild Card Round, and a few key matchups could determine who takes an early advantage.

San Diego was punished by Chicago during the regular season, but its relievers have very different track records against the hitters they could face in October.

Manny Machado has been beaten outside the zone throughout his career by the Cubs and in the postseason. He'll need to reverse those trends to give the Padres a chance in the Wild Card Round.

This may feel a little like a personal attack, but what’s really going on under the hood?

The star right-hander has not pitched in an MLB game in two years due to Tommy John surgery and will come out of the San Diego bullpen. Designated hitter Miguel Andujar also came off the injured list after being out since the end of July with a fractured right wrist. Randy Vasquez, who pitched Sunda...

The two starting pitchers for the series opener, Michael King of San Diego and Matthew Boyd of Chicago, have both had excellent second halves to put their teams in this showdown.

The San Diego Padres are hosting the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series at Petco Park.

This was never the plan. But the Padres enter the postseason with Samad Taylor and Dustin Harris as their de facto left-field platoon, and given the way they played in September, that's really not so bad.

The raucous atmosphere and a 26-6 run at Petco Park to conclude the season will give San Diego a huge benefit as they face the Cubs in a rematch of last year's postseason matchup.

From the starting pitchers for Games 2 and 3 to Ethan Salas' role to the final bench spots, San Diego has plenty of options to construct the best 26 players to face the Cubs.

The Padres' furious finish took out much of the drama in the final week. Now, the quest begins to bring a world championship to San Diego.

Here is some of the latest Padres analysis and history from around the internet. Focuses on minor-league contributions, Hall of Famer Dave Winfield's legacy, and the debate over Casey Mize's Wild Card eligibility. The Replacements: These minor-league signings and valuable vets have been key to the...

The regular season is almost over, but the October chaos is just beginning. Where do the Brewers, Red Sox, Cubs, and Padres rank?

The Padres will lean heavily on Bradgley Rodríguez for however long their playoff run lasts.

As the Padres eye another trip to the postseason, they must sort through some key roster decisions before trying to avenge last year's Wild Card Round defeat.

With their victory over the Diamondbacks, San Diego clinched the top NL wild-card spot and the No. 4 seed. Now, playing in front of their fans at Petco Park, the Friars will have a rematch from last year with Chicago.

ALT: Padres Win