The Chicago Cubs head into Tuesday night’s Game 1 at Petco Park with a familiar name carrying a lot of weight: Alex Bregman. San Diego has already announced Michael King as its starter for the Wild Card opener, and the matchup gives the Cubs a real chance to lean on one of their hottest bats to set the tone early against the Padres.
Bregman’s history against King jumps off the page. In eight career at-bats, he’s gone 7-for-8 with two doubles and two walks.
No one else on the Cubs has nearly that kind of track record against the right-hander. Michael Conforto is the only other Chicago hitter with a meaningful sample, and he’s 1-for-11 with three walks.
That makes Bregman’s spot in the order especially important. He’ll hit second, and if the Cubs want to force the issue in Game 1, he looks like the player most likely to do it.
The only real lineup question is whether Chicago will feel good about putting him back at third base. He served as the designated hitter in his last two games against the Boston Red Sox, but his bat is clearly ready either way.
And right now, that bat is loud. In Sunday’s regular-season finale at Tropicana Field, Bregman went 4-for-4 with two home runs and a double.
That came after a week in which he suffered multiple facial fractures when a foul ball hit the left side of his face. Even with that setback, he came back looking sharper than ever, and he’s absolutely earned the respect of the fan base for the way he’s bounced back.
King brings a strong season of his own into the matchup. He finished 2026 with a 3.21 ERA across 185 innings, starting 31 games.
Since July, he has posted a 2.84 ERA in 15 games. He hasn’t piled up strikeouts at the same rate as in previous years, though, finishing with a 21.0% K rate and a 9.2% walk rate.
He also has a little October history against the Cubs, having thrown one inning of relief in Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field.
The postseason usually shortens everything, and that’s where Bregman’s value gets even bigger. A quick hook is always in play, and if the Cubs are going to break through against a San Diego bullpen that ranks among the best in MLB, they probably need to make noise early. Bregman’s best chance to make that happen could come right away.
He enters this postseason on a huge run. Bregman has reached the playoffs in 10 straight years, brings 102 career playoff games of experience, and owns a .791 OPS in the postseason.
Since the All-Star break, he’s been one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball, leading MLB with a 176 wRC+ while hitting .303/.384/.626 with 19 home runs over his last 61 games. Since July 17, he’s also hit .367 with runners in scoring position.
For the Cubs, the assignment is simple: get to King early. And if they do, Bregman looks like the player most likely to make sure Game 1 starts on their terms.
In Other News...
Boog Sciambis New Job Should Ease One Cubs Fan Fear
Jon Boog Sciambi is adding a new television assignment this season, joining select Minnesota Timberwolves broadcasts in a side role while still keeping his place as the Cubs play-by-play voice. For Cubs fans who have grown accustomed to hearing him on the North Side, the bigger takeaway is that this is not a sign of an impending change at Wrigley Field, but rather another stop for a broadcaster whose range has kept expanding.
Meghan Montemurro reported that Sciambi and the rest of the Cubs TV broadcast team recently had their contracts extended through 2028, which should calm any worry that the extra work is a precursor to a departure. There is still a little scheduling wrinkle ahead, though, with Alex Cohen expected to handle some Cubs telecasts during potential conflicts in 2027, so the booth picture is secure for now but not entirely without movement. [Read more 🡒]
Justin Steele Update Just Shifted The Cubs' Bigger Pitching Picture
Braxton Garrett is back with the Cubs as they head into their final regular-season game, while Gavin Hollowell was optioned to the Arizona Complex League in a roster move that underscored how quickly the club is shifting from the present to the future. The bigger news, though, is what it says about the pitching picture around Justin Steele, whose return has been pushed off as the team continues to sort out arms on the roster.
Chicago has also designated Antoine Kelly for assignment as it keeps reworking the staff with an eye on next season rather than squeezing in a late cameo. The Cubs are clearly choosing caution with Steele, prioritizing his health and readiness for 2027 over any rushed finish this year, which leaves the organization focused on where he fits once the calendar turns again. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Crow-Armstrong Is Chasing A Cubs MVP First
Pete Crow-Armstrong has spent the 2026 season turning himself into the kind of all-around force the Cubs have rarely had in their history. With a 10.7 fWAR and elite marks across the offensive and base-running side, he has put himself in the same conversation as some of the franchises biggest seasons, while also standing out in a National League race packed with star power.
For Cubs fans, the more interesting part may be where this could lead. The club has had MVP winners before, but Crow-Armstrong is chasing something different now: a first for this version of the franchise, and the kind of honor that would put his season in a distinctly new class. The numbers have already made the case that he belongs among the leagues best, and the rest of the season is about whether the award voters follow the same trail. [Read more 🡒]