Padres Recap and notes

Pivetta didn’t factor in the decision in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs on Wednesday. He allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks over 3.1 innings.

The right-hander wasn’t particularly sharp as he threw just 36 of 66 pitches for strikes, but all three hits he gave up were singles as he limited Chicago to a single run. Pivetta missed most of the season after suffering a flexor strain in mid-April, but he returned from the IL in early September and posted a 1.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 18:2 K:BB across four starts to close out the regular season. He now tentatively lines up to take the mound in the NLDS versus the Brewers, potentially in Game 3 on Tuesday.

Sheets isn’t in the lineup Wednesday for Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs.

Sheets will step out of the starting nine despite Chicago sending right-hander Kevin Gausman to the mound to begin Wednesday’s contest. Sheets’ absence will allow Austin Hays to work as San Diego’s designated hitter while batting eighth.

King earned the win in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs on Tuesday. He gave up one hit with eight strikeouts and three walks over seven shutout innings.

The right-hander held Chicago without a hit until the seventh inning, when Nico Hoerner reached on an infield single down the third-base line. It was an electric performance from King, who threw 62 of his 97 pitches for strikes while generating 17 whiffs. The 31-year-old surrendered five runs against the Dodgers during his final start of the regular season, but it was still a productive campaign with a 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 159:70 K:BB across 185 innings. If the Padres can win one of the next two games to push past the Cubs, King likely lines up to start Game 2 of the NLDS in Milwaukee.