Fernando Tatis Jr. didn’t hide his admiration for Pete Crow-Armstrong heading into the Padres-Cubs wild-card series.
“How he plays the game, that’s just a role model,” Tatis said. “I feel like not everybody should play that way, and everybody cannot play that way. But that’s the most exciting part of the game when you can be elite in every single area.”
That’s the matchup coming into focus in San Diego: two elite centerpieces, two five-tool outfielders, and two clubs meeting in the National League wild-card series for the second straight year. This time, the setting shifts to San Diego.
Padres ace Michael King is set to start Game 1, and he made clear just how much respect Crow-Armstrong has earned. The Cubs’ likely National League MVP will lead off the series, and King called the task of facing him from the jump a real test.
"I think his development and how he adjusted. You saw last year there was still a ton of strikeouts, a ton of chase, and he’s fully taken that down," King said.
"So now you have a guy that is super toolsy, that obviously plays phenomenal defense, but now you’re up at the plate with a ton of contact, a ton of power, and not a ton of chase. Like you said, it’s an MVP season. Having him start them off is definitely a test and definitely something that we have to focus on of keeping him off the bases and setting the tone early."
Manny Machado, meanwhile, said Crow-Armstrong’s breakout didn’t come as a surprise. He pointed to the signs that had already been there and said the Cubs star has now pushed his game to another level.
"It’s been awesome, and it’s been great to see the season that he’s had, 40, 40, putting that team on his back," Machado said. "I seen it coming.
Last couple years it’s been a little glimpse here and there of what he can do. Obviously he took his game to the next level.
So to see him succeed like he has been, it’s great for the game. It’s good to see.
I couldn’t be more excited for a player like that."
Crow-Armstrong’s 2026 regular season was the kind that forces everyone to pay attention: a .280 average, 45 home runs, 107 RBIs, 41 stolen bases and a .943 OPS. He also finished with 9.8 bWAR, 10.6 fWAR and 25 Outs Above Average in center field, a strong case for being the best defender in baseball.
Tatis has matched that kind of impact over the last four months. Since May 30, the 27-year-old has hit 25 home runs and ranked second in fWAR, trailing only Crow-Armstrong.
That’s where this series is headed: into the hands of the stars. In October, the best players usually decide it, and the Padres and Cubs are bringing their leadoff men and outfield standouts into the spotlight.
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Padres Fans Have Every Reason To Hate This Wild Card Broadcast Choice
As the Padres get ready for their wild-card series against the Cubs, NBC Sports is adding a familiar face to the broadcast mix for Game 1. Clayton Kershaw will be part of the networks Inside the Pitch crew, a choice that instantly stands out to anyone who followed his long run with the Dodgers and the years of tension that came with it from San Diegos side.
NBC Sports has said the assignment came down to scheduling and Kershaws recent work in analyst roles, not any direct tie to either team in the series. Still, for Padres fans, seeing a recently retired Dodger on the microphone for the opener is the kind of detail that can color the broadcast before the first pitch is even thrown, especially with a rivalry that has hardly faded just because Kershaws playing days are over. [Read more 🡒]
Former Padres Roster Piece Quietly Closed The Book On His Career
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Wades final MLB appearance came in 2025, and he tried to keep the career going with a minor league deal from the Rangers in 2026. But after 16 games in Triple-A, he was released and never made it back to the majors, bringing an understated end to a path that never drew much attention but still left him a place in the Padres recent roster history. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Sent A Serious Wild Card Message
The Padres opened the Wild Card series in emphatic fashion, rolling past the Cubs 8-0 and setting the tone for a matchup they know could hinge on every inning. Michael King delivered the kind of start San Diego needed, working seven strong frames and coming within a hit of a no-hitter, while Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado gave the offense an immediate jolt with early home runs.
Joe Musgrove handled the ninth to finish off the shutout, and the all-around performance left San Diego looking every bit like a team that expects to keep playing deep into October. Game 1 was not just a win, but a statement about how sharp the Padres can look when their rotation and power bats show up together. [Read more 🡒]