Yahoo Sports senior MLB analysts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman preview the NL Wild Card series – including if either San Diego or Chicago could challenge Milwaukee once they advance past the first round. Check out the full conversation on the “Baseball Bar-B-Cast” podcast – and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
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Video Transcript
The big thing I’m just thinking about is, is I, because we’ve, this, this matchup has been locked in for so long, because these two teams have been floating along, they couldn’t get, you know, quite get up there and challenge for the division.
We’ve just kind of been ho-hum for the last month or so.
Are we overlooking one of them?
Is one of these teams actually absolutely capable of moving on to the next round?
Uh, Jake says, no, especially against Milwaukee, where we’re going to start to have the doubts again of like, all right, there’s this year for the Brewers.
I just wonder if, if one of these teams can, can be feeling good going to Milwaukee and, and make things interesting.
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So, that’s, that’s where I’m at on here.
Uh, I picked the Cubs in this series.
I know I, I think, I think we’re more likely to be overlooking the Padres, but I think I am going to pick the Cubs.
What about you?
OK, I’m taking the Padres because of the bull.
I think that they can just be so aggressive with their starting with, with putting the relievers in early.
The Cubs are going to need to do that.
Both of these teams are similarly kind of undermanned in the rotation.
I think the best pitcher in this series is Nick Pavetta, who the Padres are gonna throw in game one.
Yeah.
I, I mean, I wrote this I mean again like, but that’s the thing it’s like, OK, so let’s say Nick Pavetta is the best start in the series.
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Who’s the second most important pitcher in the series?
Nate Miller?
You know, like, the Padres, the Padres are gonna throw him in all three games if they need.
Like, they’re just one of these games you’re just gonna shorten it and just run the relievers out there and they’re gonna cook.
So I just, I, I think that to me is the difference maker here.
If the Cubs were able to throw Kyle Hendricks, if he was healthy, I would pick them.
He’s not, and so I will not.