Dylan Cease delivered when the Padres needed him most Wednesday, shutting out the Cubs through three-plus innings in an elimination game. He couldn’t make it out of the fourth, but he’d done enough.
The Padres scratched across a run early, then Manny Machado broke it open with a two-run homer in the fifth. Their bullpen locked it down from there.
San Diego’s 3-0 win forces Game 3, and both teams wasted no time announcing their starters for Thursday’s winner-take-all finale.
The Padres are going with Yu Darvish. The Cubs will counter with Jameson Taillon.
It’s an interesting choice for San Diego. Darvish has struggled this season – there’s no sugarcoating a 5.38 ERA across 15 starts and 72 innings. But this is where experience matters.
The 37-year-old Darvish is a five-time All-Star in his 13th big league season. He knows these moments. He also knows the Cubs – spent three years in Chicago from 2018 to 2020.
The Cubs will start Jameson Taillon in Game 3. The Padres will counter with former Cub Yu Darvish.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 1, 2025
Taillon’s been the steadier pitcher this year. The Cubs right-hander posted a 3.68 ERA over 129.2 innings, dealing with some injury issues but finishing strong. He gave up just two runs in his final 19 regular season innings.
Now he gets the biggest start of his nine-year career – his third season with the Cubs – against a guy who used to wear the same uniform.
That’s where veteran presence cuts both ways. Darvish has the postseason experience, but he’s also got those Chicago connections working against him. The Cubs know his tendencies, his repertoire, what he likes to do in key situations.
The way I see it, this comes down to which Darvish shows up Thursday. The ace who’s made five All-Star teams, or the pitcher who’s battled inconsistency all season long.
