Opening Padres vs Cubs Game 2 Odds & Starting Pitchers

• The Padres have opened as slight favorites over the Cubs in Game 2 on Wednesday
• MLB K/9 leader Dylan Cease gets the start for San Diego in a must-win game
• See the opening San Diego Padres vs Chicago Cubs odds for Game 2 (Oct 1st)

The Chicago Cubs (93-70, 51-31 home) came from behind to take Game 1 of their best-of-three NL Wild Card series with the San Diego Padres (90-73, 38-44 away) on Tuesday afternoon. Almost immediately after the final out was recorded, the Cubs vs Padres Game 2 odds opened up.

With high-ceiling Dylan Cease (4.55 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) scheduled to start, the Padres have opened as -117 favorites in Wednesday’s must-win Game 2, which is slated to start at 2:08 pm CT/3:08 pm ET at Wrigley Field on Oct. 1st.

Opening Padres vs Cubs Odds for Game 2

The Padres are -117 favorites to win Game 2, with the Cubs at -104 to complete the mini two-game sweep. The runline and run total have yet to open. It’s possible they will remain off the board until a Chicago starter is named.

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Chicago’s World Series odds improved from +1375 (on average) to +1100 after their Game 1 victory on Tuesday. The Padres faded from +1400 to +3000.

Cubs Bullpen Dominates Game 1

Matthew Boyd was good in the Game 1 start for the Cubs, allowing just one run on four hits and a walk over 4.1 innings. But it was the relievers who were the true stars: Daniel Palencia, Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kitteridge, and Mitch Keller combined to throw 4.2 perfect innings.

After falling behind 1-0, back-to-back homers from Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly in the fifth inning gave Chicago the lead. The Cubs had managed just one hit off of Padre starter Nick Pivetta before the back-to-back jacks.

Suzuki has now homered in five straight games dating back to the regular season.

Game 2 Padres vs Cubs Starting Pitchers

A month ago, everyone assumed Shota Imanaga (3.73, 0.99 WHIP) would start either Game 1 or 2 for Chicago. But the second-year Cub had a disastrous September, with a 6.25 ERA in five starts. Last time out, he was hammered for eight runs on nine hits and a walk over 5.2 innings against the Mets.

He made two excellent starts against the Padres early in the season, allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits and three walks over 12.1 innings with 11 strikeouts. He did surrender one homer in each game, though (Manny Machado, Martin Maldonado).

Over his two MLB seasons, Imanaga has faced the current Padres lineup in 56 at-bats. The San Diego hitters have a subpar .214 batting average and .629 OPS. But manager Craig Counsell hasn’t tabbed the former NPB star as the Game 2 starter just yet.

Cease made one start against Chicago this year (April 14), allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and a walk over 5.2 innings. Michael Busch took him yard in the fourth inning.

Overall, Cease has limited the Cubs hitters to a .194 average and .595 OPS in 98 total at-bats.