Padres punished Matthew Boyd’s best pitch to bury Cubs in Game 1

Matthew Boyd gave the Padres three changeups they could drive Tuesday night. They sent all three over the wall. That’s one of the cleanest explanations for how the Padres buried the Cubs, 8-0,  in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series. The Padres knew which pitch they wanted, and made sure to do their best to not miss when Boyd put it within reach.

Fernando Tatis Jr. announced the plan immediately. He launched Boyd’s first pitch of the bottom of the first inning, an 83.4 mph changeup, 404 feet to center field. Manny Machado saw another changeup later in the inning and followed with his own solo shot.

Two innings later, Machado doubled home Tatis. Then Xander Bogaerts got a changeup in the fourth and deposited it beyond the fence. It’s very clear what pitch they were hunting. Three established stars taking the pitch Boyd trusted most and turning it into a deep ball.

Padres knew what Matthew Boyd wanted to throw

Boyd acknowledged afterward that San Diego appeared ready for the changeup.

“I’m sure they were [expecting that pitch],” Boyd said. “It’s a pitch that’s good for me. It’s a pitch that I use a lot.”

Boyd missed his locations, especially when he left the pitch elevated. San Diego still had to recognize it and punish it. Plenty of hittable pitches can survive when a batter is looking for something else, gets caught between speeds or fouls it off. The Padres looked ready from the moment Tatis stepped into the box.

The Cubs lefty kept reaching for the changeup because he believed a better version would work. However, a trusted offering can become a liability in a hurry when the other dugout has identified it and the pitcher cannot put it where he wants. The preparation deserves credit along with this execution.

San Diego delivered the adjustment that last October demanded

The Cubs had reason to feel comfortable handing Boyd the ball. He held the Padres to one run across 4 1/3 innings in Game 1 of the 2025 Wild Card Series, helping Chicago begin its eventual series victory with a 3-1 win. A year later, the matchup looked completely different.

It’s clear that the Padres did their homework and the stars supplied the muscle. Michael King’s dominance made the lead feel untouchable. Jackson Merrill’s two-run single helped turn a decisive advantage into a rout. The entire night worked because the Padres’ biggest bats struck before Chicago could settle into the game.

That is how a playoff favorite should handle a matchup it understands. No wasted opportunities and no leaving Boyd an opening to recover.

The Padres still need one more victory to finish the series. Game 1 gave them the formula. They need to know the plan and execute it.  

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow