Padres Sputter Offense Ends Playoff Run with 3-1 Cubs Loss

The San Diego Padres have continued their troubling postseason offensive struggles, losing the 2025 National League Wild Card Series opener to the Chicago Cubs 3-1. Despite early promise and a strong pitching performance from Nick Pivetta, the Padres' offense failed to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities, with key players like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Luis Arraez combining for an 0-for-10 showing with runners in scoring position. The Padres have now scored just one run across their last 33 postseason innings, extending a pattern of playoff futility that has plagued them for two years. Their reliance on sacrifice bunting and situational hitting, while a strategic choice by manager Mike Shildt, has not translated into timely runs, exemplified by Jackson Merrill's bunt in Game 1 that didn't yield the desired scoring outcome. Chicago took control with back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth inning and added an insurance run in the eighth, with their bullpen shutting down San Diego's bats in the final innings. Facing elimination, the Padres' chance to advance hinges on a rebound in offensive production in Game 2, but historically no team has overcome a Game 1 Wild Card Series loss under the current format.