Alex Bregman is Cubs' most important player ahead of Game 1 battle with Michael King

Unlike the Chicago Cubs, who took some time before announcing Matthew Boyd as their Game 1 starter for the Wild Card Round, there was no debate about who the San Diego Padres would counter with. Michael King has been their ace all year long and is by far their best starting pitcher.

In terms of raw stats, it's definitely a matchup that favors the Friars; King covered huge volume this year (185 innings) while pitching to a 3.21 ERA and 4.13 FIP. Meanwhile, Boyd navigated various injuries and recorded a 3.91 ERA and 4.21 FIP. The Cubs aren't at a complete disadvantage, but all else being equal, I'd probably want the Padres' pitching situation (especially with their bullpen and at home in Petco Park).

Perhaps more importantly, King has a strong track record of success against nearly everyone in the Cubs' lineup. Only one hitter has routinely beat the right-hander throughout his career.

That player? Alex Bregman.

Alex Bregman has absolutely crushed Michael King throughout their careers

It's worth noting that most of the current Cubs have barely any experience in the batter's box against King, if they have any at all. Michael Conforto (14 plate appearances) and Bregman (10 PAs) lead the way, but no one else has more than three. Some members of the roster, including presumptive NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, have never faced him.

Much of that is due to the fact that the Cubs haven't seen King in the regular season since 2023, when he was still a high-leverage reliever with the New York Yankees. They did face him for an inning in Game 3 of last year's Wild Card Round, but all he did was strike out the side and promptly leave the game for a desperate Padres team.

However, whereas Conforto (.091/.286/.364) has struggled mightily in his opportunities against King, Bregman has thrived. He's abused the right-hander in his 10 plate appearances, hitting .875/.900/.1.125. Yes, via seven hits and a pair of walks, he's reached base 90% of the time against the Padres' ace. That's the kind of track record that can get in the back of a pitcher's mind just before their most important start of the season.

Bregman was already going to be one of the Cubs' most important players in this series after his second-half breakout, which is why his two-homer onslaught in the final game of the regular season was so important to see after his injury scare earlier in the week. As one of few players on the team with any history against King -- and the only one with any semblance of success -- his sole performance might just make or break Game 1 for the North Siders.

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