Padres’ Estrada Eager to Face Former Team in Wild Card Series

San Diego, California – The San Diego Padres are set to face the Chicago Cubs in a best-of-three Wild Card series starting Tuesday. Padres relief pitcher Jeremiah Estrada, who previously played for the Cubs, is eager for the matchup.

Estrada, who made 17 appearances for the Cubs between 2022 and 2023, was designated for assignment and picked up by the Padres. Since joining San Diego, he has been impressive, posting a 3.22 ERA over 139 games. Estrada views this matchup as a chance to show his former team what they missed.

“It’s not about eff you guys,” Estrada said. “It’s about, ‘This is what you guys missed out on.’” The Cubs drafted Estrada in 2017, and he made his Major League debut in 2022 with a solid 3.18 ERA over five games. However, performance issues in 2023 led to his dismissal from the Cubs.

“Wearing that jersey was amazing,” he reflected. “Being part of that fanbase was amazing. There was just some things … that weren’t going my way.”

This season, Estrada has become a key player in the Padres’ bullpen, leading the team with 77 appearances and racking up 108 strikeouts in 73 innings. Notably, he has faced the Cubs three times this season without allowing a hit, striking out six batters over three innings.

The Padres will rely on a strong bullpen as they enter the postseason. While All-Star Jason Adam is sidelined with an injury, Mason Miller has stepped up with a 0.77 ERA since joining the Padres. Other notable pitchers include Robert Suarez, who has allowed just one run in his last eight appearances, and Adrian Morejon, whose ERA is slightly above 2.00.

Game one of the series against the Cubs begins at 12:08 p.m. PT on Tuesday. Estrada aims to showcase his talent and help the Padres advance, reminding the Cubs what they overlooked.