Michael King Will Start Wild Card Opener
The San Diego Padres named Michael King the starting pitcher for Tuesday night’s game at Petco Park.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Baseball
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The San Diego Padres will start Michael King in Game 1 of the Wild Card series on September 29, 2026. The matchup will take place at Petco Park in San Diego starting at 9 p.m. CT.
Why it matters
King takes the mound for the opener following a regular season where he provided stability to the rotation. The Padres look to reverse their fortunes after dropping five of six games against the Chicago Cubs this season.
Michael King finished his 32 regular-season starts with a 12-10 record and a 3.21 ERA. In his most recent outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 22, he allowed five earned runs on six hits.
The players
Michael King
He is the starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres who finished the regular season with a 12-10 record.
San Diego Padres
They are a Major League Baseball team representing San Diego that will host the upcoming Wild Card series.
Chicago Cubs
They are a Major League Baseball team representing Chicago that won five of six games against the Padres this year.
Matthew Boyd
He is a professional baseball pitcher who is a potential starter for the Cubs in the upcoming Wild Card opener.
Kevin Gausman
He is a professional baseball pitcher who is being considered by the Cubs to start Game 1.
The details
The Padres are expected to utilize Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller in relief roles during the series opener. Opposing the San Diego pitching staff, the Chicago Cubs are weighing options for their starter, potentially selecting Matthew Boyd or Kevin Gausman.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: Michael King allowed five earned runs against the Dodgers.
September 29, 2026: Wild Card series Game 1 is scheduled at Petco Park.
Season Trajectory
This series marks a critical pivot point for the Padres, who struggled against the Cubs throughout the 2026 regular season. Success in this opener is vital to shifting the momentum of the Wild Card series and altering the team's postseason narrative.
The Padres must overcome a season-long disadvantage after losing five of their six matchups against the Cubs. King’s ability to avoid two-out runs will be the defining stat of the game after he surrendered five runs in that specific scenario during his last start.
The takeaway
The postseason requires an immediate reset regardless of how a player performed in the regular season or against specific opponents. Success for the Padres relies on King finding command early to prevent the two-out rallies that hampered his most recent appearance.
Further reading
For more information on the team's postseason push, visit San Diego Baseball.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Heavy.
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