MLB Baseball
2025-10-02 - San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB Baseball Playoff Wild Card Game 3
Thursday 2nd October 2025 - Scheduled 5pm
10pm (British Time)
Preview
The Manager decisions will be questioned after the Game 2 loss and there is little doubt that Craig Counsell may have done something different with the Chicago Cubs bullpen on Thursday. On the day he wanted to get one more out before removing the pitcher on the mound, but a Home Run was given up and the lack of Offensive play meant it was always going to be a huge challenge for the Cubs to recover from three runs behind.
The only positive is that the San Diego Padres had to use some of their stronger players out of the bullpen and that may limit the effect they can have on this winner takes all decider.
Both bullpens are going to have to play a big part in the game and that means the starters on the mound will be well aware that any sign of trouble is likely going to see them pulled from Game 3.
A former Chicago Cubs starter will be heading out for the San Diego Padres and Yu Darvish is looking to show all of his Playoff experience in this one. He did not have a very good regular season after injury issues limited Darvish to just fifteen starts, while he had a 5.38 ERA in those outings.
Yu Darvish is familiar with Wrigley Field, which will help, but there is no ignoring the fact that he had considerably more issues with his performances on the road compared with at home.
Playoff experience can be hugely valuable at this time of the year and there is no doubting the experience that Yu Darvish has. In his last four Playoff starts, he has completed at least 6 Innings each time and not allowed more than two earned runs, which is something that the Padres management will have in mind.
The Cubs will counter by giving the ball to Jameson Taillon who last pitched in the post-season in 2022 when a member of the New York Yankees. In his sole start in that Playoff run, Taillon allowed just a single run as he pitched into the Fifth Inning, while he had a solid regular season for Chicago.
Confidence has to come from the fact that Jameson Taillon finished the regular season with a 4-2 record and a 1.85 ERA from his last seven starts. Earlier this season he gave up just two runs in a little over 5 Innings pitched against the San Diego Padres, while improving to 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA against this opponent.
Prediction
There will be a real belief around the two starters in this Game 3 decider, but for different reasons and so it is going to be a test for the two Managers to make the big calls at the right time.
That was something that the Cubs failed to do in Game 2, while the batters also need to come out and show more than they did.
It is the Cubs who may have the slight edge on the mound, at least on recent form, while they may feel they have loosed up some of the big arms that the Padres do have in the bullpen. If that limits their ability to come out and go for longer, the Cubs may just have enough of an edge to find a way through to a Divisional Round Series with the National League Central Winners.
The Pick :
Chicago Cubs 4-3 San Diego Padres
