Playoffs are here for the Chicago Cubs!

Playoffs are here for the Chicago Cubs!

We’ve been waiting to say this for a really long time. It’s playoff season at Wrigley Field. We preview Cubs Padres’s next. You are Locked on Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day alongside Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into a discussion with you on all things Cubs. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app today. Cubs play the Padres’s at 2:08 PM Central Tuesday, game one of the Wildcard Series. We’re about to preview it all. Cubs first playoff appearance in a full season since 2018. We’ll also have a pregame crossover show published Tuesday morning. Sam and Javier Reyes have locked on Padres’s will be on that. Additionally, Sam will be doing a watch along for the first three innings on Tuesday exclusively on YouTube. Sam, there’s a lot to discuss here, but I’m feeling the excitement and it it sure seems like you are as well. Did you see Matthew Boyd’s press conference? Yeah, it was hit me in the fields for sure. Did you read PCA’s piece in the Players Tribune? Throw away the analytics, folks. Uh uh analytics and all that stuff is great. Over 162 doesn’t matter. This is about Sure. You got to Hey, you got to know, okay, this guy likes it here, doesn’t like it here, whatever. But you know what I mean. This is about not who’s the better baseball team, but who plays better over 72 hours, 27 innings. This is the time to get creative. This is the time to do things that are unexpected. Be the aggressor. You know, we we’ve known that the Cubs were going to be here for a while, but it did look a little bit rocky there when they started to struggle. They’ve earned this right. They’ve earned this opportunity and then if they win this, they’ll earn the next opportunity. It’s Wrigley Field. Jake Aretta throwing out the first pitch. Eddie Veter singing the stretch. There’s there there’s big moments. 1984, the Cubs would have beat this Padres’s team if they got the third home game at Wrigley Field. Why didn’t they? Because of the lights. They didn’t have the lights yet. So, revenge is is a best dish served cold. It’s time to talk about how and why we’re going to beat these teams. All right. Later, this team, sorry, later we’re going to get to the path to victory, then key matchups. We start with big questions. And the number one for me, and we’ll get to the the pitching matchups later, but the number one thing for me, Sam, can the Cubs score early? And if if you’re going to put all your chips in into game one because you would love to go into Wednesday up 10, we could all say that. There’s no other way to put it. You want to you don’t have to win Tuesday’s game, but you really really want to get that one. Yeah. Especially because you are at Wrigley Field and you have to get to Nick Paveta. You have to. The Padres’s bullpen is a force. They’re almost a half run better than all than team two in the erra rankings for for bullpens. Nick Paveta, we saw shadows late, right? We saw it with our own eyes on April 5th in a game we went to. This dude has a tendency to overthrow at times. He only went three innings on that that cold April day. We had Nick Caps on tomorrow. It’s going to be summer for crying. I had a soft pretzel. He he had three walks, six hits, three runs. It went three frames, Matthew Boyd against him. Will the real Cubs offense show up? Please stand up because if it does, they will do damage against Paveta. Mark my words, but they have to score early. Yeah, I I think you’re right. Um I’d love to see the Wrigley crowd really bother Paveta, you know, make make the Pitchcom guy have to come out twice, you know, one of those things. Um and I I think you would like to see them run plays from the outset. Hit and run, bunt. Yeah, I think I mean it dep depends on the weather. Uh but but if it’s not a great day to hit home runs, I mean I definitely think in game two and three, if there is a game three with CE Darvis, you have to get creative because those guys don’t like throwing to the bases and and and you could make them uncomfortable by by running and bunting at them and stuff like that. People can laugh at me all you want. You’re just trying to steal two games. Doesn’t matter how you do it, right? Um, as far as Paveta goes, he’s really good. Um, I think we both I know I really wanted him this off seasonason. He was on my short list. Uh, ironically, the Cubs got Boyd and and those two are squaring off. Uh, again, Boyd’s been really good, too. You know, the key for me offensively, you say scoring early. I I’ll add just putting the ball in play. You know, make it’s it’s it’s 208 central. It’s noon their time. the crowd like the these are humans that that are playing the the sport. Just watch Matthew Boyd’s press conference again. Make them make plays. Don’t strike out 15 times when you have guys in in scoring position. Put the ball in play. Just do those things. Give yourself a chance. And then on the other side of the ball, make sure you make the easy plays. And and just going into the next big question. Well, how’s Matthew Boyd going to fair? Um and for me, it always Exactly. That is the next big question. him and show them. It always starts with this. Don’t walk people. Keep the ball in the park. If if you do those two things, it’s going to be a recipe for success. Um I would say obviously with Shota, you’re worried about uh the home run part. And with Boyd, maybe a little bit of both, but maybe he’s over amped and he’s walking guys. We’ve seen that with him now and then. Make them hit the baseball and don’t groove it to them and and give up a bunch of homers. make them hit their way uh to scoring runs. Let one of the best defenses in baseball do what they need to do. And you know, my big pet peeve with runners in scoring position when when you’re pitching and you’re up 122, don’t throw like like really hitable strikes, you know, just be situ situationally sound. Look for strikeouts when they’re there and you need them. Uh uh when you need contact on offense, make sure it’s there. And and and I know this is doesn’t really answer a big question, but enjoy it. Enjoy the moment. You’ve earned the right to play a playoff series at home at the best ballpark in front of the best fans in baseball. This San Diego Padres’s team, they’re a 38 and 43 ball club away from their home venue. Okay, you you can beat these guys. This isn’t the 27 New York Yankees coming to town. Okay, this isn’t the late 90s Yankees coming to town. This isn’t the the the Dodgers of yestery year coming to town. It’s a good team. I got a lot of respect for them. They got a lot of talent, but you could beat these guys if you play your aame. Well, absolutely. And and the playoffs are the king of varants. They’re the king of fortune. You think I’m going to care if someone gets a broken bat RBI single against All results based. It’s it the process doesn’t the process means nothing. If somebody flashes up that half hit a ball 108 at a guy with a couple guys on that would be great if we had another four months left in the season. I’d rather have a 40 mph ball drop in between left and center and score two and take an early lead. And I know we don’t always say what people want to hear, but what happened before this does not matter. the the the regular season determined the best team. The playoff determines the World Series winner. And also the Cubs hot ending to September on offense. Really doesn’t matter. I hope it continues. We’ll find out if it matters at about 2:15 220 tomorrow. By the way, Sam, when the Cubs offense is at its best, they don’t strike out. They accept walks. They put the ball in play and uh they slug. Yeah. Um, last last big question for me. Yes. Uh, because I do think there’s a chance that’s on me. I think Shota there is a chance they use an opener. We’ll get to that later. Oh boy. Last thing for me. Uhhuh. How is Kyle Tucker feeling? The Padres’s have three stars, Tatis, Machado, and Merryill. The Cubs have one very clear one in Tucker. They have one who did it for 90% of the year in PCA. They have a great supporting cast, but Tucker is the main guy. Yeah. If he’s healthy, they’re going to be able to score early. Yeah. I’m looking at two guys. It’s like the the Tucker story is huge because if the Cubs lose this series and he doesn’t perform, which I think both those things go together, you know, it’s going to be looked at as a trade that missed and we’ll have to talk about it for a while. Um, look, I, you know, he’s coming off of an injury. I just want him to be a part of it. You know, help move the line along. If he’s up in a big spot, make good swing decisions. Don’t roll over to the right side. But I got two guys that we’ll be talking about a little bit later that not only I don’t do oh a pick that might work. I got two guys that I expect uh to have big series uh uh and and it’s not Kyle Tucker. Let’s get into that and key matchups right after this. Today’s episode is brought to you by Neutrifall. You’ve probably seen millions of ads for hair growth products and thought, “Sure, like that actually works.” There are so many products out there, it’s hard to know which ones are actually going to do anything. 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And you can become a locked on Cubs everyday by joining us for every episode throughout the week. Reminder, we’ll be live right after the final out. Just about after the final out. I’ll be on about two o’clock of every playoff game. And yes, Sam will be on. Wow. Eight minutes before first pitch. That’s Yeah. Why? Because I got to make sure that all the connection stuff’s working well. Maybe I’ll put that on sixth period. No, no, don’t don’t put in front of your kids. I don’t know how that’s going to go, you know. Uh, Matthew Boyd, Nick Paveta, Shota, Imanaga, Dylan Cease, Jameson Taio, and you Darvish over that could be an opener for Shota on on Wednesday. Padres’s offense has struggled against lefties. Cease and Darvish have really really struggled on the road. Uh Padres’s bullpen has that that core four Estrada Miller Suarez and uh Cubs split the season series with the Friars this year three and three. And uh we went to that game April 5th. And who pitched? Matthew Boyd and Nick Paveta. Uh Sam, let’s let’s go through those couple names because I I’m intrigued for sure. Yeah. What do you want to go over the openers or or Padres standouts? Uh, I’d like to go over the intriguing names that you mentioned. Yeah. All right. So, Oh. Oh, for our guys. Okay. Yeah. Um, before that, look, let me just do a quick thing with the Padres’s. Um, and I’ll get to to our guys. Look, they’re really good. They’re really good. I’m surprised they only won 90 games. Uh, I did a a a crossover that’s going to be released tomorrow for our pregame. I learned a little bit why Michael King being hurt. They struggled with their starting pitching. Merrill uh has heated up lately. He had a little bit of a a sophomore slump. Uh whatever. He’s a real dangerous hitter. Um you know, they they they run through Tatis, Machado, Merrill, Boggart’s Arise offensively. The good news with the Cubs is is O’Harn doesn’t love to hit lefties. Raone Lariano, their platoon guy, he’s out. Gavin Sheets doesn’t love to hit lefties. So you can neutralize them in that regard. I would categorize them offensively as very dangerous that that I don’t think they’re very good, but I think they’re dangerous. They’re dangerous enough. Um, I don’t know a ton about their defense. And then the the the the pillar of their team is their relievers and their starters have been up and down. Expect Matt Michael King to come in relief uh at some at some point in this game. Yeah. Uh or this series. Uh as far as our guys go, look, Se is hot, Bush is hot. Those are great candidates. What makes the Cubs a good team is there’s a lot of candidates. I could pretty much say any name and I don’t think it would surprise you if I said, “Hey, watch out for those two.” Here’s the two I’m going to pick. Number one, look, call me call me a little bit naive, but when I read that piece from Pete Crow Armstrong today, I I I I I almost ran through my apartment wall for that kid. And and I just think that when this team, with all due respect to Kyle Tucker, when this team got to a level where this city was on fire and this and that and that ballpark was special, it was not because of anybody else other than PCA. And and I’ll admit it, I’m a little bit concerned about him being over amped, but I just think he’s gonna do something special in this series. And um I think it’s a decent matchup for him. And and he’s my my one guy. And my number two guy is going to surprise you. Dansby Swanson. I think he’s quietly had a really good year this year. He’s just really struggled with men on. And and the reason why he struggled with men on is because Dansby’s a dead red fastball hitter. And when guys are in trouble, they don’t like to throw their fast ball. They like to throw their breaking stuff. And I could just see him ambushing a a couple of pitches in this series and finding the seats u and playing some really good shortstop. The guy’s a World Series champion and I expect him to play a good two or three games for the Cubs. Those are the two guys I’m looking that might stand out a little bit more than you think. What do you think? Well, I I the Cubs have no weak spots in the lineup. That’s why they could go to the last game of the year is partially why, right? You might say, “Oh, Matt Shaw, you know, is his what’s, you know, his average is 220, whatever.” But you would not be surprised if Matt Shaw just went off against Paveta on Tuesday. No, I wouldn’t be shocked. No. No. And and him hitting ninth is a comfortable spot for him that he jelled. You just You just listed the Cubs eighth hitter in Swanson. Yeah. Well, 20 plus homers, 70 run plus driven in. Y uh I I I’m tracking with that. I I think Ian Hap could be the one who who gets to a level this series that that that really over uh overjoys a lot of us and and not only supplements what a Pete or a Tucker, say a Bush, whoever. Um, but so I’m looking at at at Shaw at Hap and Her. I think Hoarder as well is third of the lineup. Yeah. And and to your point about Pete Sam, he took over the sport in June and July. The guy was miked up in the All-Star game. It’s time for him to take the sport over again this time. Well, postseason’s about about superstars, right? It’s it’s about two things. It’s about He’s got to be himself. He really does. It’s about superstars and it’s about unsung heroes. Cubs got great candidates for both. So does San Diego. They got great stories up and down the roster for sure. You know, I I I’ll say this. Um San Diego’s won seven out of eight coming into this and and I had really good conversation with Javier about this that you’ll see. Okay. He he made a really good point and I and I’m going to counter it here but respectfully about how this series means more to the Padres’s than it does for the Cubs. And his his reasoning was really fair. They went all in at the deadline, right? AJ AJ Prowler only has a year and a half left and they and they’ve been with with this core group of players. They they made a CS against the Phillies in 23. They flirted for sure. they were a game within a game of of beating the Dodgers last year. And I think even the Dodgers publicly said that was kind of what they were most worried about. I could be wrong on that. And for all that stuff, it means more where the Cubs have kind of been lukewarm and whatever. And my counterpoint is I I just think the the Cubs messaging, I think this means a lot to them. I I I I think I think they know that if they lose this series, this season was a failure and it’s in their ballpark and and and I you know me, Matt, I love I I I I love I love hearing talking and press conferences and things like that and I just I don’t think it means more to the Padres’s. I think it means more to the Cubs because they’re the Cubs and it’s been a while since they’ve been here and and I and I really I don’t have a lean on the series. I think if it was in San Diego, I think the Cubs lose both quickly. I think in Wrigley Field, it’s a total coin flip. And um I I just I really think this team is going to be ready to go. Does that mean they’re going to win it? No. But but but I don’t think they’re going to be afraid of the moment. I think they’re going to be ready to play uh at their best at the best time and and and and roll the ball out and see what happens. I feel like there’s a lot at stake for this team. This could be a a at many times this year this is this has been a fun Cubs team that’s hit us in the fields uh many different ways but but it’s time to win now and and I I really feel like this is the year to do it. Tucker is about to hit free agency. Half her sea Kelly Boyd Tyion are all up after 26. If there’s a time to strike I think it’s this postseason’s got a big option coming up. Imanaga’s got a a weird option that I think to exercise multiple years, they’re just going to pay him more money. Um, which I think is worth it given the rotation, you know, the lack of up. They have depth, but not necessarily upside depth. U, so I just feel like there’s a lot in the line and it’s a huge opportunity. Don’t waste it. Yeah. And and and for those people that aren’t big baseball fans, this is your dream scenario now because 162 becomes three. And and and it it’s if if 162 is a marathon, this is a race from the window of my apartment to my front door. Yeah. The whole sport changes, especially in the new format. Yeah. And I’m I’m You know what, Matt? I’ll look in the camera and tell you I’m ready to go. Good. Good. That’s good to hear. All right, let’s go over the Cubs strategies here. They’re definitely in the war room thinking about a lot. Yeah. Uh opener, you know, who’s on the roster when it’s released 10 a.m. They still got a couple guys floating out there. Uh that, you know, could uh you know, show up from the concession stand or whatever. Um or the Ivy, like I said on on Sunday’s episode, our last episode. Uh, also couple paths to victory and uh, maybe we could go around baseball a little bit as well. Next, this episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel is an offer you don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. Again, $300 in bonus bets if you win. That’s right. Pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. I went back and forth. I actually had the Bears, excuse me, the Raiders, but the plus one and a half. So, I got the Bears win and uh a nice cover. Uh Cubs Padres’s right now on FanDuel for the series Chicago minus 126US 116 for Tuesday’s game. So, what are you waiting for? Visit fanuel.com to download the FanDuel app today and get started. Make sure you’re subscribed to Locked On Cubs. That way, on your preferred audio platform or YouTube, that way you don’t miss any of the great Cubs content we’ve got for you. All right, one one nugget here about the Padres’s. Uh, I’m not sure if you and Jav mentioned was Freddy Fine, no, is catching Nick Paveta for the first time in his life on Tuesday. Did not mention that. I think that’s something to just keep an eye on. run and run run for your lives and respect 90. And uh we’ve heard a couple names floated as openers. They’re not doing it on Tuesday. I think Wednesday is a a possibility with Shota. I guess I would say this even since we talked Sam earlier today by by uh cell phone uh cellular device. I like that the Cubs are thinking over all their options. Agree. I’m a little more open to it than I than I thought because again it’s it’s game one of three or really one of one if you want to get in that mindset especially for the wild card series. It’s just so compact. But I’m also choosing to remember Justin Steel is out. Kate Horton is out. Boyd wasn’t sharp his last several times, though he was last week. And Shona hasn’t been sharp his last several times. Give it up 12 homers in six starts. So if they want to whiteboard all this stuff and all the options and if they if they want to try Ray or Palencia or Kitridge or Keller or Pomerance or whoever before I before Tyion I I would I’m bringing myself to understand I I’m not thrilled by it but I could see why they would do it. First of all, for mean really good at throwing out base runners. So, take that with a grain of salt. Um, I’m glad they didn’t do it for Boyd. I thought that would have been unnecessary. I could see it for Shota. Could see it for Tyion. Council said today he can’t figure out he can’t tell you anything about game two until they play game one. So, so they’re going on that basis. The way I see that is if the Cubs win game one, it’ll probably just be Shotaa. If they lose game one, you’re going to probably see them get real tricky with it because if they lose, they’re out. Uh my only concern with that stuff is if if you’ve been starting all year and then you’re asked to come out of the bullpen to pitch your second inning. I mean, does that mess with you at all? I don’t know. Um I’ll be honest with you, I feel pretty optimistic that both these guys are going to find a way to pitch at at least compete. You know, I I would be really disappointed if one of them had a blowup start. That would be really disappointing. Yeah. You know, I mean, that would and and and not just in in the sense of, oh, oh, because the Cubs would lose. I I just don’t think they’re those type of guys. And again, things could happen, right? You know, sometimes it’s out of your control. You just don’t have it, right? Look what we talked about with Clayton Kershaw. You know, even the best have that. But I just feel like I coming off I just think it’s a good spot for him. I I I just I I I just see both those guys competing and and you have path to victory written down and and my path to victory is that it’s it’s getting good starting pitching, your bullpen doing your job and making sure you score at least three runs. You get to five, you feel real good and you know, we’ll see what the weather does. This offense is hot. Maybe a, you know, maybe a a 53 and a and a 64 or a a 53 and a 42 or, you know, something like that. You know, notice I I don’t want to play h the game three. U you know, but I will. I don’t either. But I will if we lose. I I’ll I’ll I’ll do anything to play that game three if we lose Tuesday. Uh I have the same list. Boyd and doing well. Bullpen remain steady. They’ve been fantastic all year. And will the offense accept their walks? Will they put it in play? Will they make swing decisions? Somebody needs to get a big hit. Right. That sort of thing. Who’s going to get the hit? Hit the ball over the fence. I wouldn’t mind that as well. Who’s going to get the hit where you send me a text and go, “We’re going to win this game.” Right. You’re pretty good at that, right? You know, maybe it’s 2-1 in the fifth basis. I think a and and and Swanson, who hasn’t been clutch all year, stays back on a right-on-right change. Stays back on a right on right breaking ball, drives it in the right center field gap to score three. And you send me a text saying 505, be ready to rock and roll. you know, oh no h how, you know, who’s going to get a big base hit? Who’s gonna who’s going to take that moment and absorb it and go after it instead of going, you know, I’m going to be tentative. 3-1 fastball just fouled it away. You know, Seiya, somebody tells Seya, be aggressive, man. Right. If he hits a first pitch homer, they’re I you feel like they’re going to win. Yeah. In the against the scoreboard. Okay, fine. You know what I mean? make a statement like Schwarber did. Well, as you could hear and see, depending on the platform you consume the show, exciting times around here, our favorite team is in the playoffs. They have a chance to win the World Series and uh wow, what a ride it’s been. The season moved quick. I That might be I don’t know how else to put that. I just think from our perspective, it did. Has to with the way we do it. Yeah. And uh we’re looking We look so far ahead. I mean that 16 and five stretch that got him in the playoffs. We talked about that like three weeks prior. Yeah, exactly. And and I hope the postseason goes slow with that being said. Yeah. And you know, go to Halloween and uh I would love to do a watch along on Saturday. Oh wow. I don’t have to watch Illinois Purdue. Uh Guardians Tigers at noon, Cubs Padres’s at two, Yankees Red Sox at 5. That’ll be a great And Dodgers Reds at eight. Green Otani. One of the better matchups probably. Oh, Otani’s getting the ball game one. Well, I thought I saw Snell. Okay. Well, I could be wrong then. Uh, but exciting March Madness like baseball. Definitely going to enjoy it the next couple of days. Sam, anything else? No, no, nothing else. Um, you you said it all. Yeah. No, I’m I’m I’m ready. I’m ready, man. I’m ready to go. These guys are ready to go. Uh I’ll say it again. Go for it. You know, just go for it. Don’t worry about, you know, time to win. Yeah. Oh, if you bobble a ball or you strike out that Listen, unfortunately, we have a lot of practice with that here with that with these fans. So, nobody’s going to remember you that much if things go poorly, but everybody will remember you if things go great. This is Locked On Cubs, part of the Locked On podcast network. your team every day. For your second listen, check out locked on MLB game night every game. Should have won that series in 84. All season long at local analysis on a national scale. Find MLB game night on the Locked On. They’re the better team channel on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts. He’s Samber. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked On Cubs. Go Cubs.

We preview the Wild Card Series between the Cubs and Padres. From big questions to key matchups to the Cubs’ path to victory and more.

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