This series just tilted from a traditional starter’s duel into a chess match. Down 0–1 after a 3–1 loss on September 30, San Diego now has to solve an opener in Game 2 at Wrigley: the Cubs are handing the first inning (and maybe more) to right-hander Andrew Kittredge. It’s a classic postseason gambit — disrupt the Padres’ righty-heavy top of the order early, then hand the ball to a length arm once the matchups reset. Chicago used its bullpen like a scalpel in Game 1, and now they’re doubling down on run prevention by design.
The move also reframes San Diego’s urgency.