Why the Chicago Cubs would be better off playing the Dodgers in the Wild Card instead of the Padres in October.

For the first time in seven years (no, I do not count the 2020 season), the Chicago Cubs look like they are finally going to play in a playoff series. I don’t want to jinx it, but yes, it seems like they will actually play a game in October.

If the NL Division and Wild Card standings stay exactly how they are right now by the end of the season, the Cubs will host the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field. And as awesome as it would be for the Cubs to finally be hosting their first home playoff series since 2016, I do not like their chances against the Padres. I think it would be a mistake.

In fact, and hear me out, I think the Cubs would be better off playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the playoffs.

Here’s the thing: the Padres are a terrifying playoff team. Just ask Dodgers fans in 2022 when they lost to the Padres three games to one in a best-of-five series, and that was with San Diego having zero expectations to even be in the playoffs that year.

Just ask those same Dodgers fans last year, who had everything they could handle against the Padres and Fernando Tatis Jr. after being forced to play all five games of the series. For that series, Tatis Jr. went 7 for 22 with three home runs, three doubles, 5 RBI, and six runs scored.

I get it, the Padres are 80-68 now and sit 4.5 games behind the Cubs in the Wild Card and 2.5 games behind the Dodgers in their division, but you play against a team with guys like Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado, and bad things are subject to happen. Let’s not forget about their bullpen either, which sits at number one right now in all of MLB in ERA, with its current combo of former Cub and setup man, Jeremiah Estrada, and Robert Suarez shutting things down in the ninth innings with his NL-leading 37 saves.

The Dodgers are the Dodgers, I know. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman at the top of the lineup, yeah, scary. And whatever their rotation ends up being for the playoffs, yeah, I’m sure on paper it’ll be terrifying.

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But their bullpen has been atrocious as of late. Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates aren’t it. Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, and Michael Kopech have been hurt most of the season. And there are too many questions about who Dave Roberts will go to in big-time situations. Shohei Othani? Maybe. But even he hasn’t been lights out on the mound this year, and he hasn’t made a relief appearance since the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

If a team can get to the Dodgers’ bullpen early in a game, I think it’s lights out for Hollywood.  

Yes, I know, beating the Dodgers in the playoffs will be hard, but all I’m saying is I’d rather face them than deal with the playoff juju magic that comes with the Padres. That’s all. Is it nice to finally make it to the playoffs and host a series, no matter who the Cubs play? Of course, if they do have the opportunity to host. I think the less complicated path leads through the Dodgers.

And that’s just my take.    

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