The San Diego Padres’ 2025 season ended in heartbreak, as the team fell to the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series finale. After the decisive Game 3 defeat, Padres manager Mike Shildt offered candid reflections on his team’s effort, the pain of elimination, and the lessons from a hard-fought October.
After the Game 3 loss, 97.3 The Fan San Diego interviewed Shildt about the narrow series. The station later posted his full remarks on X (formerly known as Twitter), including his thoughts on the emotions inside the clubhouse.
“Um. Yeah. I mean it was a good series, hard fought. Um, tight, you know, a lot of big moments. Um, you know, basically didn't get it done. As a wrap-up point, there's a lot of hurt guys in that clubhouse, but we laid it all out on the field. There's no regrets on anybody's part, just disappointed.”
Mike Shildt shared his thoughts on how his team performed overall in this series, the called strike three against Xander Bogaerts, his bullpen usage and what went wrong with Yu Darvish: pic.twitter.com/P0c3vMCMCv
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) October 3, 2025
Game 3 reflected the Padres’ postseason struggles. Yu Darvish lasted just one inning after allowing two early runs, forcing the Padres bullpen into action. Jackson Merrill provided San Diego’s only run with a solo home run in the seventh, while stars like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado couldn’t capitalize in key moments. The Cubs’ defense, led by Dansby Swanson, turned multiple game-changing plays that denied Padres rallies.
For Shildt, the message was less about failure and more about resilience. He pointed to the fight his team showed in forcing big moments against Chicago, crediting the Cubs for executing when it mattered most. His calm tone acknowledged disappointment while protecting his players from blame.
The Padres’ season still carried achievements. The club finished the 2025 regular season with a record of 90-72, earning their fourth postseason berth in six years. The bullpen, which led MLB in ERA, carried Game 2 and remained a bright spot all year. But the quiet bats and reliance on small-ball left the offense vulnerable against elite playoff defenses.
The reflections from the manager resonated with Padres fans because they captured both pride and pain. The words framed the loss as a tough ending, not a collapse. As the club heads into the upcoming offseason, the manager’s message leaves space for disappointment but also for belief in what lies ahead.
