Padres Announce Game 2 Starter for Wild Card vs Cubs

Sep 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) looks on from the bench before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres have named a Game 2 starter for their Wild Card series against the Chicago Cubs.

After Nick Pivetta kicks things off on Tuesday, manager Mike Shildt said that Dylan Cease will take the mound for Game 2. If a Game 3 is necessary, Yu Darvish is likely going to get the nod.

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Dylan Cease will start Game 2, Mike Shildt says. Yu Darvish would likely start a Game 3, if necessary. Michael King will be available out of the bullpen all series.

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) September 29, 2025

Michael King isn't slated to start any Wild Card games, but is available out of the bullpen at anytime during the series.

Cease ended the regular season with a 4.55 ERA across his 32 starts, but led MLB in strikeouts per nine innings, with 11.5. The right-hander had a bWAR of 1.1 and an ERA+ of 94, about six percent below league average.

Each of those marks were higher last season, leading to a fourth-place Cy Young award finish, but the drop in production isn't exactly concerning. Cease had an increase in his swing-and-miss rate of 33.4 percent (putting him in the 95th percentile), and a slight fastball velocity increase to 97 mph, putting him in the 88th percentile across MLB (up from 96.9 mph last season).

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As for King, he finished the season with an inflated ERA of 3.44, his highest since 2021. Injuries factored into him missing significant time and potentially being rusty upon his return, especially since he had a 2.59 ERA before landing on the injured list.

In his five outings since returning from injury (plus, missing an additional month after his initial return), King's ERA was 6.11, allowing 12 earned runs in 17.2 frames.

Who’s Starting Wild Card Game 1 for Cubs?

The Padres will have their work cut out for them going into the Wild Card series as Cubs southpaw Matthew Boyd will take the mound to start Game 1.

Matthew Boyd will start Game 1 for the Cubs.

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) September 29, 2025

Boyd posted the second-highest bWAR of his career (2.6) this season, the most wins of his career with 14, and an ERA of 3.21 across 31 starts. The All-Star threw 154 strikeouts to 42 walks on the year through his 179.2 innings of work (the second-most innings pitched of his career).

San Diego has been plotting a deep October run since spring training, and the road starts on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. It will be no easy feat, but the Friars are a team that has been expertly constructed for the postseason.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.