Cubs Rapid Recap: San Diego snuffs out Cubs in Game 1, 8-0

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres scores a run on a throwing error by Carson Kelly #15 of the Chicago Cubs during the seventh inning in game one of the National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park on September 29, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images No matter what your worst expectations were for this game, you probably didn’t expect this. Three Padres pitchers combined for a three-hit 8-0 shutout in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Padres starter Michael King came out and absolutely dominated the Cubs. Whether he was amped up because of the situation or the Cubs were flat because of their ridiculous situation over the past week, it didn’t matter. It was probably both. The Cubs could do nothing against him and he made the lineup look like minor leaguers.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Meanwhile, the Padres got off to a fast start as leadoff hitter Fernando Tatis Jr. crushed a first-pitch changeup over the center field wall. Pete Crow-Armstrong got some leather on it, but not nearly enough. After Boyd retired Samad Taylor on a bunt attempt, he gave up a second solo home run to Manny Machado, this one into the left-field bleachers. Once again, it was on a changeup. At the end of one inning, it was 2-0 Padres.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Boyd recovered in the second inning and retired the side in order, but then he had to face Tatis and Machado again in the third. Boyd was much more careful with Tatis the second time, but he ended up walking him. After striking out Taylor for the second out of the inning, Machado lined a four-seamer that caught too much of the plate for an RBI double to make it 3-0 San Diego after three.

class="wp-block-paragraph">It might has well have been 10-0 Padres at that point the way King was pitching. Seiya Suzuki reached on an error in the second inning. King walked Crow-Armstrong after two outs in the third and PCA promptly stole second, but the Cubs couldn’t cash in either mistake. Suzuki walked in the fourth and Michael Busch walked in the sixth. But the Cubs were unable to get a hit off King until Nico Hoerner hit a hard grounder down the third base line that Machado couldn’t handle cleanly. It wouldn’t have mattered. Machado would not have thrown out the speedy Hoerner at first and the Cubs had their first and only hit. It was the top of the seventh inning.

class="wp-block-paragraph">By that point, things were out of hand anyways. Boyd gave up his third solo home run of the game in the fourth inning to Xander Bogaerts that banged off the Western Metal Supply Company building down the left field line. Once again, it was off a changeup, but this one was right down the heart of the plate.

class="wp-block-paragraph">Javier Assad came in to pitch the fifth inning and the Padres blew the game open with three more runs. Assad loaded bases with two outs after a leadoff single, a two-out walk and a single to left that the catcher couldn’t score from second base on. Then manager Craig Counsell went to the bullpen and called on Ryan Rolison. A two-run single and a passed ball by Carson Kelly meant that all three inherited runners scored and it was 7-0.

class="wp-block-paragraph">The Padres added another run in the seventh inning to make it 8-0 when Tatis reached on a slow roller of an infield single. He then stole second base and scored all the way from second when Kelly’s throw bounced into left field.

class="wp-block-paragraph">There was a big moment in the top of the ninth when Padres manager Craig Stammen called on Joe Musgrove out of the bullpen. Musgrove was a surprise addition to the roster as he hadn’t pitched since 2024. Musgrove struck out Busch with his first pitch and then gave up a single to Suzuki. Next he walked Happ and Hoerner loaded the bases with a single for the Cubs’ third hit. But Pedro Ramírez then popped out and pinch-hitter Michael Conforto struck out to end the game.

class="wp-block-paragraph">People overuse the phrase “must-win” game, but Wednesday’s Game 2 and hopefully Thursday’s Game 3 are “must-win.” The Cubs cannot repeat the lethargic performance they turned in tonight. The offense needs to get into gear and the pitchers need to hit their spots better. Teams that lost the first game of a Wild Card Series under this current format are 1-15. Now there is probably some small-sample size variation there and the Cubs chances are probably a bit better than 6 percent, but under no circumstances is it anything other than a long shot that the Cubs come back and win the next two games. But “long shot” does not mean impossible. So let’s do it.