SAN DIEGO -- This is why the Cubs traded for Kevin Gausman at the Trade Deadline this season. They wanted to add a pitcher who not only had experience at the front of a rotation, but had been through October and understood the mentality and approach in the postseason pressure cooker.
And on Wednesday night, the Cubs plan on handing the ball to Gausman in a win-or-go-home Game 2 against the Padres in this National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park.
“He’s been in moments like this before,” Cubs catcher Carson Kelly said. “We’re going to rely on him.”
The Padres dealt the Cubs a gut-punch of an 8-0 defeat in the opener of this best-of-three series Tuesday night. Lefty Matthew Boyd uncharacteristically allowed three homers -- two off the bats of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado in the first inning -- as Chicago’s Game 1 starter against San Diego’s red-hot offense.
Down the stretch, Gausman looked like a real option to be the Cubs’ starter for the first game, but an ill-timed shoulder injury cast uncertainty over his availability. The righty injured his left shoulder on a diving tag play on Sept. 23 against the Marlins and soreness has lingered over the past several days.
Prior to Game 1 on Tuesday, Gausman tested things out, throwing off the bullpen mound at Petco Park and felt improved enough to where he did not feel it would be detrimental to start. As recently as Sunday, when he also did a mound workout, Gausman was still unsure if he would be recovered in time to take the ball.
“It speaks volumes to the training staff here,” Gausman said after the Game 1 loss, “everything they’ve done to get me to this point to be able to go out there tomorrow, and feel good to go out there. I don’t know if we felt this way a couple days ago. That’s always a good sign.”
The Cubs acquired the 35-year-old Gausman from the Blue Jays at the Deadline due to a pressing need for rotation help. Since joining Chicago, the righty had had mixed returns, with a 4.83 ERA in nine starts overall, striking out 57 and walking 11 in 50 1/3 innings. He had three quality starts, three outings with at least five runs allowed and three that fell somewhere in the middle.
Gausman’s playoff resume, however, offers some optimism for the Cubs.
Over the course of his career, Gausman has logged a 3.83 ERA in 14 postseason appearances (eight starts), in which he has 56 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings. Last year, the righty played a key role in Toronto’s push to the World Series. Gausman started Game 1 in both the American League Division Series and Championship Series, took the ball in Games 2 and 6 in the Fall Classic and had a 2.93 ERA in his six playoff outings.
What is the key to pitching in the postseason?
“You try to treat it like a normal game,” Gausman said. “You really can’t when they're waving towels out there, but you try to just stay in the moment and trust yourself and trust the team behind you. I’ve got to go out there and give it everything I’ve got.”
Gausman watched a Padres team that was ultra-aggressive against Boyd on Tuesday night. In the first inning, San Diego’s hitters swung at 10 of the lefty’s 11 pitches and continued to stay on the attack throughout the night. That is certainly something Gausman noted, but he also knows one night’s plan may not be replicated in the next game.
“You’ve really just got to kind of read what they’re trying to do,” Gausman said. “Obviously, I’ll have a plan going in, but sometimes you get punched in the face and you need to change that plan. You’ve got to be ready for that as well, and be ready to kind of make a change in a quick moment.
“Obviously, they’re playing great. They’re swinging great. They came out swinging a lot tonight. Will they do that tomorrow? Who knows? But, we'll see and we’ll kind of adjust as we need to.”
Gausman was also confident this Cubs team would be able to turn the page after such a tough loss.
“This group kind of speaks for itself, what they’ve done this season,” he said. “Nothing changes. These guys are going to show up tomorrow and be ready to go, be ready to bounce back. I’m excited.”