Cubs count on Wrigley Field crowd in wild-card series

The big picture: The team will undoubtedly use the energy of the Friendly Confines faithful to attempt to propel them to the National League Divisional Series.

Flashback: If the Cubs needed more incentive to win, the 1984 series loss to the Padres still haunts fans to this day. Expect plenty of boos for players wearing brown and yellow.

On the field: The North Siders will attempt to use their bats to jump on the Padres early, since San Diego boasts one of the best bullpens in all of baseball. Star Kyle Tucker returned last week and is ready for the playoffs.

Yes, but: Tucker brings playoff experience from his days in Houston, but this will be the first taste of the postseason for other stars like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki and Nico Hoerner.

The other side: The Padres are used to playing in October. They are returning to the playoffs for the fourth time since 2020. They also have a dynamic lineup, which could pose problems for the short-handed Cubs starting staff.

• The Cubs will likely start Matthew Boyd on Tuesday, followed by Shota Imanaga on Wednesday. If there is a game three, the team might opt for a bullpen game since scheduled starter Cade Horton is injured.

The bottom line: Regardless of the matchups, playoff baseball at Wrigley Field is special. The Friendly Confines and its faithful create one of the most electric environments in all of baseball.

If you go: The game starts at 2:08pm.