Chicago Cubs OGs Deliver in Wild-Card Series Win Over Padres

The Chicago Cubs kicked off their National League wild-card series with style, taking down the San Diego Padres 3-1 at Wrigley Field. That win handed them an early edge in the best-of-three series and shoved manager Craig Counsell’s wild pitching philosophy—calling his pitchers “out-getters” instead of sticking to old-school roles—right into the spotlight.

It was a night of timely hitting and a bullpen that just wouldn’t flinch. The Cubs looked resilient, adaptable, and honestly, more unified than they’ve seemed in a while.

Counsell’s “Out-Getter” Philosophy in Action

Since day one, Counsell’s hammered home the idea of flexibility over tradition with his pitchers. Game 1? Pretty much a blueprint for that approach.

Starter Matthew Boyd didn’t have his best stuff and made it just 4⅓ innings. Counsell wasted no time pulling him and handing things over to the bullpen.

Daniel Palencia’s Pivotal Debut

Daniel Palencia stole the show. It was his first postseason outing, and he’d just bounced back from a shoulder injury.

He shut down the Padres’ bats, retiring Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez in the fifth. Then he fanned Manny Machado in the sixth.

Palencia’s clutch work steadied the Cubs and swung the momentum their way.

Back-to-Back Power Surge

The pitching set the stage, but the real turning point came in the bottom of the fifth. Carson Kelly and Seiya Suzuki smashed back-to-back home runs, sending the Wrigley crowd into a frenzy.

Before that, the Cubs just couldn’t quite crack Padres starter Yu Darvish. Those homers flipped the script and gave the lineup a jolt of confidence.

Counsell said after the game that Kelly’s blast, right before Suzuki’s shot, was exactly the kind of aggressive approach he wants to see from his hitters.

Veteran Bullpen Shuts the Door

Once Counsell turned it over to the bullpen, it all came down to execution. The Cubs’ relievers answered the call, each playing their part to keep the Padres off the board.

• Drew Pomeranz — Threw a scoreless seventh in his first postseason game since 2020.
• Andrew Kittredge — Struck out Tatis in a spotless eighth.
• Brad Keller — Finished it off with a ninth-inning strikeout of Xander Bogaerts, wrapping up his comeback after the White Sox let him go earlier this year.

Insurance from Hoerner

Nico Hoerner tacked on a key run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly. That gave Keller just a bit more room to breathe before he shut the door.

It was a nice reminder that the Cubs can manufacture runs when it counts.

Teamwide Trust and Adaptability

After the game, Counsell and his players talked about the trust that runs through the clubhouse. Every pitcher, no matter how much experience or what their usual job is, knows they might get called on at any time.

That attitude has fueled the Cubs’ late push, and it was obvious in Game 1.

Setting the Tone for the Series

This win gave Chicago a crucial series lead. It also sent a message to the Padres: these Cubs are versatile, disciplined, and ready to attack from all angles.

With Counsell pulling the strings and the bullpen looking locked in, this series is shaping up to be pretty interesting.

Final Thoughts

Game 1 really showed off a wild mix of unexpected strategy and sharp execution. Counsell leaned into the “out-getter” philosophy, making sure no pitcher faced innings that felt too big and no moment overwhelmed his lineup.

The Cubs pulled off some well-timed hits and kept their relief pitching locked in. If they keep that up, who knows—maybe this postseason run goes way past the wild card round.

October baseball always throws curveballs, right? Adaptability seems to matter more than anything else.

With Counsell calling the shots, the Cubs sure look like they’re up for whatever comes next in this playoff chase.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Column: The Chicago Cubs ‘OGs’ get the job done in wild-card series win over the San Diego Padres