Chicago Cubs-San Diego Padres To Face Off In Winner-Take-All Game 3
Here we go again, folks. Wrigleyville is holding its collective breath, praying to the baseball gods that Thursday isn’t the last time they see the beloved Cubs take the field this year. After a shutout loss that felt like a punch to the gut, the North Siders are staring down the barrel of a do-or-die Game 3 against the San Diego Padres. And who gets the ball in this high-stakes drama? None other than Jameson Taillon. Let that sink in.
The same guy who was brought to Chicago to pitch in games exactly like this one. No pressure, Jamo. It’s only the entire season riding on your 33-year-old right arm. “This is why I’m here,” Taillon said, trying to project a cool confidence that probably wasn’t fooling anyone after Wednesday’s offensive snooze fest. “I love to pitch these types of games… I want to go out and be that guy.” Can he live up to it?
A Tale of Two Teams: Redemption or Repeat?
On one side, you have the Cubs, a team that just got blanked 3-0 thanks to a managerial decision by Craig Counsell that left fans and pundits scratching their heads. You know, the one where he let Shota Imanaga face Manny Machado with first base open, leading to a two-run bomb that basically sealed the deal. Hindsight is 20/20, but that one felt like a mistake in real-time.
On the other side, you have the Padres, who are sending their own former Cub, Yu Darvish, to the mound. Oh, the sweet, sweet irony. Darvish, who’s had a shaky season, to say the least, gets a chance to crush the postseason dreams of his old club. You can’t write this stuff.
Can Taillon Deliver For the Cubs?
So, it all comes down to Taillon. To his credit, he’s been on an absolute tear lately. After a calf strain that sidelined him for nearly seven weeks, he’s come back looking like a man possessed, posting a sparkling 1.57 ERA over his last six starts. He’s been efficient, he’s been dominant, and he’s been exactly what the Cubs needed down the stretch.
But the postseason is a different beast. Taillon’s previous playoff experience with the Yankees was, shall we say, a mixed bag. One outing was a disaster; the next was solid. Which version will show up at the Friendly Confines? The players are saying all the right things. “This is a very experienced group,” Taillon said. “I don’t think we need to go out with the idea of our backs against the wall.”
Sorry, Jameson, but your backs are firmly planted against the ivy-covered wall. It’s win or go home. The city is buzzing, the fans will be electric, and the pressure is monumental. It is time to see if these Cubs have one more fight left in them, or if it’s just another “wait ’til next year” moment in the long, emotional saga of Chicago baseball.
