Cubs at Padres
The Chicago Cubs have key players receiving first aid, but it was them administering the beating in the opener of their four-game series against the San Diego Padres. Javier Baez (left thumb) is done for the regular season and Kris Bryant (right knee) has missed two straight games entering the second contest of the set on Tuesday, but the absences of the two stars didn't prevent Chicago from routing the Padres 10-2 on Monday.
Nicholas Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber homered for Chicago in the easy victory that saw it maintain its two-game lead over Milwaukee for the National League's second wild card while Bryant is hopeful of returning on Tuesday. "Since the All-Star break, I've been getting treatment to make it feel better," Bryant, who received a cortisone shot on Sunday, told reporters. "But sometimes, it seems, we just can't catch up." Chicago halted its three-game slide with Monday's victory while sinking San Diego has dropped five of its last seven contests. Nick Martini went 3-for-5 on Monday to extend his hitting streak to eight games and is batting .371 in 35 at-bats since being claimed off waivers from Oakland.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Chicago Plus, FS San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs LH Jose Quintana (13-8, 4.00 ERA) vs. Padres RH Ronald Bolanos (0-1, 3.00)
Quintana has won nine of his last 10 decisions to match his career high for victories. The 30-year-old beat Milwaukee in consecutive outings, tossing 5 2/3 scoreless innings the first time out before giving up four runs and five over five frames on Thursday. Quintana defeated the Padres on July 20, when he yielded five runs and eight hits over five innings, is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA in three career starts versus the club and has held Eric Hosmer (two homers, 15 strikeouts) to a .189 average in 74 at-bats.
Bolanos will be making his second major-league start. The 23-year-old lost to Arizona on Sept. 3, when he gave up two runs and five hits over six innings. Bolanos went 13-7 with a 3.66 ERA in 25 combined appearances (23 starts) at two minor-league levels before being recalled.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cubs INF Nico Hoerner, a first-round draft pick (24th overall) in 2018, was recalled from Double-A Tennessee and went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in his major-league debut and figures to see plenty of action with Baez and INF Addison Russell (concussion) ailing.
2. San Diego INF Luis Urias has gone 4-for-9 over his last three games after going 5-for-42 over his previous 15.
3. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo was hitless in four at-bats on Monday and is 1-for-20 over his last six contests and homerless in his last 13 appearances.