Cubs Pick Matthew Boyd for Game 1 Against Padres

Boyd gets the nod for Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are starting left hander Matthew Boyd in Game 1 of their wild card series against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night. Boyd will face San Diego righty Michael King.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell chose Boyd over Kevin Gausman, who has been dealing with soreness in his left shoulder. Counsell confirmed Gausman "is gonna pitch this series" but did not commit to any plans after the opening game.

Boyd has a good history against San Diego. In last year's wild card series, he held the Padres to just one run in 4 1/3 innings at Wrigley Field, helping the Cubs secure a victory.

Bregman fitness update

There are still questions about Alex Bregman and whether he can play on defense. Bregman suffered multiple facial fractures after being hit by a foul ball on September 20.

He returned to action quickly as a designated hitter, even hitting two home runs on Sunday. However, his face is not fully healed. Counsell said "the fractures are not healed" and they have to weigh how Bregman feels and how much pain he is in.

If Bregman cannot play third base, the Cubs will likely start Pedro Ramirez or Matt Shaw in the field and keep Bregman as the designated hitter.

Pitching plans and strategy

For the Padres, Nick Pivetta is expected to start Game 2, with Robbie Ray or Walker Buehler lined up for Game 3 if needed.

The Cubs have several options for the rest of the series, including Gausman, Clay Holmes, Shota Imanaga, and David Peterson. Counsell made it clear that traditional roles do not matter in a short series. He said "we have 27 outs" and the team just needs to figure out how to get them.