James Neveau (NBC Sports Chicago*): Manny Machado, Padres beat Cubs to force Game 3 in Wild Card Series. “Mason Miller struck out five Cubs in a row as their offense floundered in the losing effort.”

On Thursday, the Chicago Cubs are turning to Jameson Taillon for their biggest start of the season. The Padres are countering with former Cub Yu Darvish.

CHICAGO — Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Chicago Cubs’ uniquely talented center fielder, did not bury the lede in his essay for The Players’ Tribune, hyping up Major League Baseball’s postseason tournament: “I feel like I’ve been f—in’ searching for something lately.”

The Padres’ Mason Miller throws a pitch in the seventh inning against the Cubs during Game 2 of the National League wild-card series at Wrigley Field on Oct. 1, 2025.

What we learned at Monday’s workout at Wrigley FIeld before the wild-card series opener between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.

An unexpected decision by the Cubs manager in the fifth inning of Game 2 helped the Padres secure their lead in a must-win game.

David Ross, who served as the Cubs' skipper from 2020 to 2023, was fired in November of the latter year when Chicago stole Craig Counsell from the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. In two offseasons since, Ross has been passed over by teams looking for new skippers, and his third attempt to find work is about to commence.

Businesses in the Wrigleyville area are hoping for a deep postseason run so they can keep their doors open for a few more weeks.