CHICAGO — As the Padres’ 3-0 victory over the Cubs progressed Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field, eventually evening this best-of-three National League Wild Card Series at one game apiece, Jameson Taillon started thinking about arguably his biggest start since joining the North Siders.
The right-hander will get the ball in Thursday’s elimination contest.
“I thought the Padres threw the ball really well today and made it tough on us. As the game got going there, I started getting excited about tomorrow,” Taillon said. “Put my head down and started thinking about what tomorrow would look like and feel like.
“You do a lot of work throughout the years and throughout the season to be ready for big moments. I’m looking forward to it.”
The Cubs won Game 1 behind back-to-back home runs from Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly, a solid start from Matthew Boyd and 14 straight retired by their bullpen. San Diego answered, courtesy of Manny Machado’s two-run home off a first-pitch Shota Imanaga splitter with two outs in the fifth, Dylan Cease’s stellar mound work over 3 2/3 innings and a virtually unhittable bullpen performance in the next 5 1/3, including Mason Miller’s five strikeouts over 1 2/3 innings.
Now, it’s Yu Darvish for the Padres, Taillon for the Cubs and all hands on deck behind them. Taillon posted a 1.54 ERA in four September starts, striking out 17 and walking six in 23 1/3 innings, and featured a 1.85 ERA in seven outings dating back to June 29. He faced the Padres in San Diego on April 14, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision.
Those numbers won’t matter much once the first pitch is thrown Thursday.
“Every start has its own life. They don’t care how I’ve been feeling,” Taillon said. “I have to execute pitches. With that said, you want to go in with momentum and confidence. I feel good where I’m at. I feel good about the work we’ve done in between starts and I’ll be ready to go.”
When asked about a playoff elimination game clearly carrying different expectations, different adrenaline, Taillon admittedly went with a cliche in that the game is still one pitch at a time. There’s a little bit of a shorter leash, but with his sharp command, it’s about making the pitches Taillon wants.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell will be ready to go to the bullpen whenever necessary, a bullpen that has allowed two hits over 8 2/3 scoreless innings in two games when not factoring in Wednesday’s numbers for opener Andrew Kittredge and Imanaga.
“Not giving in, being really relentless on my gameplan, my attack,” Taillon said. “Making sure I’m prepared, go over the hitters, don’t give in. Everyone will do their work and routines and be ready to go. It’s a very experienced group. A lot of playoff experience in here. We play our game, execute our plan and we’ll be all right.
“We are used to pitching in front of a sold-out stadium in front of 40,000 people. That’s our normal. These fans bring it in April and May — it doesn’t matter. That’s an advantage for us also. I like showing up with a little urgency and knowing this matters.”
Taillon missed July with a right calf injury and was on the injured list again from Aug. 25 to Sept. 9 with a groin issue, but he finished with an 11-7 record and a 3.68 ERA in his third season with the Cubs. He has a 6.23 ERA in two playoff games (one start) with the 2022 Yankees, but he is ready for Thursday’s all-or-nothing challenge.
That’s all-or-nothing for either team, which is front and center in Taillon’s mind.
“It’s big. It’s less about me and more about these guys,” Taillon said. “I really do love this team and love this city. I want to come through for these guys in here. I’m here to pitch these types of games. I love everyone in here so I want to go out and be that guy.
“The plan is to let the game take me there a little bit. Go about my work and my process. I’m expecting to feel froggy and feel crisp. That’s where I double down and execute pitches.”
