Padres face a winter of major decisions after a wild-card exit to Chicago left a sour taste and a looming need to retool a fragile rotation. Dylan Cease and Michael King near free agency, while Luis Arraez and Ryan O’Hearn could depart, leaving the offense unsettled. Closer Robert Suarez has a 2026 option and is weighing his future. San Diego must balance payroll with upside as it plans a path back to contention in 2026.

The club will weigh internal depth, external upgrades, and how to replace production at several spots, aiming to preserve run prevention and scoring punch while navigating the market this offseason.

Seiya Suzuki’s 424-foot tying homer off Nick Pivetta jolted the Cubs, followed by Carson Kelly’s go-ahead blast as Chicago grabbed control in a 3-1 win in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card. Matthew Boyd steadied the Cubs after an early Padres threat, and Nico Hoerner added insurance in the eighth before Brad Keller closed it out. San Diego couldn’t capitalize on early chances, leaving Chicago with momentum heading into the series.

The late surge capped Suzuki’s four-game homer arc to finish the regular season and carried into postseason power, while Swanson’s defense and Hoerner’s timely hit underscored Chicago’s depth. For fantasy, the Cubs’ offense looks primed to ride its balance, while San Diego must regroup quickly to avoid a quick exit in a pivotal rematch.

Two-out, bases-loaded three-run double by O'Hearn in the sixth flipped the game and sparked San Diego's 7-3 win in Chicago. He went 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Merrill had two hits and scored three times, and Tatis Jr. and Machado delivered key runs.

Merrill's second-inning solo homer and a productive night from the Padres' offense kept pace as Yu Darvish settled after an early run. The bullpen closed it out, while Lenyn Sosa homered for Chicago in the ninth.

Padres look to seal the series on Sunday with an 11:10 a.m. start, as the early-inning hiccups by San Diego's rotation linger but the offense finally broke through.

Luis Arraez stitched together a 3-for-4 night, driving in the game’s lone run as San Diego opened the four-game set with a 2-0 win over Colorado. Freddy Fermin added an RBI-single in the third, and Jackson Merrill delivered a late insurance shot to boost the Padres’ offense. Randy Vasquez spun six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, and the bullpen closed it out behind a clean seventh through ninth. A solid all-around performance gives San Diego momentum in the series.