👋 Good morning!

I knew there were similarities between the Bears’ stadium proposal and the Las Vegas Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium. After all, the Bears are using the same architecture firm.

But when I saw the side-by-side on Twitter yesterday (picture at the bottom), I was genuinely stunned.

It’s a carbon copy!

Hey — maybe it’ll be great, but I fear that what works in the desert won’t work in the middle of the northwest suburbs. I guess we’ll see.

– Patrick Norton

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It Comes Down To This

Playing from behind early with ice-cold bats is hardly a winning recipe. Now it’s win or go home for the Cubs this afternoon.

Heart of the Order: Aside from a pair of back-to-back homers on Tuesday, it’s been an ugly series for the Cubs’ offense, striking out 24 times already.

Through two games:
- Ian Happ: 0-8, 5 K
- Pete Crow-Armstrong: 0-6, 5 K
- Kyle Tucker: 1-7, 2 K
Pitching in each of the first two games, Padres setup man Mason Miller has faced nine batters, recording eight outs all via strikeouts. The lone baserunner Miller allowed came when he hit Michael Busch on the foot with an errant slider.

Craig Counsell on the offense: “The consolation today was we pitched really well in the back half of the game, and they obviously used [Adrian] Morejon and Miller multiple innings and even [closer Robert] Suarez multiple innings. So, look, those are good arms. That is what they've done to the league all year. Those are tough at-bats, plain and simple.”
Tough Break: The Cubs opted to roll with Andrew Kittredge as an opener for Shota Imanaga, avoiding the top of the Padres’ lineup. Kittredge allowed one run after a double-steal set up a sacrifice fly.

Imanaga entered in the second inning, dancing around trouble before ultimately surrendering a crushing two-run homer to Manny Machado in the fifth inning. Imanaga finished the inning before handing over the keys to the Cubs’ bullpen.

Counsell on the decision to leave Imanaga in to face Machado: “Look, the results suggest that we should have done something different. Really just confidence in Shota, plain and simple there. I thought he was pitching well. I thought he was throwing the ball really well, and unfortunately, he made a mistake.”
Match Point: Facing elimination, the Cubs will send Jameson Taillon to the mound. The Padres will turn to former Cub and All-Star Yu Darvish. On paper, that should be an advantage for the Cubs.

Darvish isn’t what he was when he finished second in NL Cy Young voting with the Cubs back in 2020. This year, Darvish compiled a career-worst 5.38 ERA in 15 starts, allowing 14 home runs and striking out batters at a career-low 23.0% rate.

Taillon started just 23 games this season due to injuries, but finished second on the team in quality starts (6 IP, ≤ 3 ER) with 14.

In reality, we’re likely looking at another bullpen game with both Counsell and Padres manager Mike Shildt throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks.

Counsell said: “I think the first two games is really what you expected in this series, and I think tomorrow will be a lot of the same. I think we're made for that.”

Well, this is it. Who’ll play hero this afternoon?

I’ve got a hunch that we could be in store for a big game from Kyle Tucker. Though the last few months of his first season with the Cubs have been largely disappointing, he’s still in line for a massive payday in the offseason for good reason.

His single in the ninth inning off Robert Suarez also felt like a “watching the ball go through the hoop” type of moment that may have lifted any weight and burden off his shoulders.

I suppose we’ll see.

The good news for the Cubs? They’re 46-24 following a loss this season.

Padres 3, Cubs 0

MORE: Jared Wyllys on the Cubs’ Game 2 Loss

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INJURY UPDATE: Bulls PF Patrick Williams suffered an ankle injury on Wednesday during the team’s training camp. Williams then exited the 5-on-5 practice session and rode an exercise bike.

Coach Billy Donovan said: “I don’t think it’s too serious.”

ON THE HORIZON: The Blackhawks are likely to trade fourth-line forward Lukas Reichel before the season begins next Tuesday, according to several reports.

Reichel played a career-high 70 games for the Blackhawks last season, tallying 22 points in just under 12 minutes of ice time per game. He debuted with the team in 2022, nearly two years after the Blackhawks selected him No. 17 overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

STADIUM FUNDING: The Bears are seeking $855 million from the state of Illinois for infrastructure improvements to surrounding roads, sewer lines and the Metra station near the location of the team’s proposed stadium in Arlington Heights.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday: “The state will help where we can on infrastructure and other things that are the job of the state. But I just want to reiterate what we won't be is an unending hole full of money that is feeding it to a stadium when we have so many other valuable things that the state should be investing in for the people.”