Boyd signed with the Cubs this offseason, and has recorded the best year of his career. He started 31 games, going 14-8 with a 3.21 ERA and 154 strikeouts and making his first All-Star Game. It's been a long road for Boyd, and he certainly won't take for granted starting Game 1 of the postseason at Wrigley Field.

Machado and the Padres are back on the road for the first round of the playoffs, beginning on Tuesday afternoon when they face Dansby Swanson and the Chicago Cubs in the opener of their best-of-three series.

Jeremiah Estrada is of two minds at the end of this sophomore season with the Padres. The right-hander struck out more than 100 batters during the regular season. But Estrada allowed 12 home runs — three times as many as he did last year.

Reasons the Chicago Cubs will — and won't — beat the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card series.

Manny Machado hit an RBI single during the five-run first inning and homered leading off the third for the San Diego Padres, who got a final tune-up for the postseason by routing the Arizona Diamondba