Cubs’ impressive Game 1 win has Jed Hoyer beating the allegations (for now)

The Chicago Cubs acted aggressively over the offseason by acquiring Kyle Tucker, a superstar on an expiring deal, in a trade with the Houston Astros, but didn't have the same kind of all-in mentality at the trade deadline. Sure, there weren't many superstar-caliber players available, and the prices were very high for needle-movers, but the Cubs had the pieces to go all-in, particularly on the pitching front, and refrained.

Cubs fans were understandably frustrated with this, and the frustration only grew when, just days before the postseason, it was revealed that Cade Horton would be out for the Wild Card Series. Knowing that Justin Steele was already out for the year, the question of whether the Cubs had enough pitching to not only go on a deep run, but even win the Wild Card Series, was one worth asking.

If Game 1 of the Wild Card Series was any indication, Hoyer's passive deadline approach worked out just fine.

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Cubs win Wild Card Series opener thanks to dominant pitching

Scoring three runs won't win you many games, but it's quite hard to lose games when you allow only one run. The Cubs' offense didn't do much, but it also didn't have to because the pitching was in cruise control from the onset.

Matthew Boyd had his share of ups and downs down the stretch, but he looked every bit like the All-Star he was in the first half and Hoyer counted on him to be in October as he allowed just one run in 4.1 innings of work. What was really impressive, though, was this Cubs bullpen.

The Cubs did not make a big move to acquire a lockdown closer even after the Ryan Pressly experiment, but their four best relievers threw a combined 4.2 scoreless innings, not allowing a single base runner. That's right - Cubs relievers retired 18 Padres in a row to secure Game 1.

Daniel Palencia was on the Injured List a week ago, yet he retired all five batters he faced as the first reliever out of Craig Counsell's 'pen. He was easily the most impressive pitcher of the day, pounding 100+ mph fastballs with ease and pairing that with a wipeout slider.

Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller, three relievers who are far from big names, impressed in their own right, locking down the victory after Palencia's time in this game came to an end.

Cubs bullpen addition impressed once again when needed most

Cubs fans have watched Palencia, Pomeranz and Keller dominate virtually all year, but Andrew Kittredge is still new-ish to Chicago fans. Cubs fans questioned whether he was good enough to be Jed Hoyer's big reliever addition, but he proved once again on Tuesday that the answer to that question is a resounding yes.

Kittredge had a 3.32 ERA and a 2.40 FIP in 23 regular season appearances with the Cubs, and he did not allow a single run in 11 of his last 12 outings, posting a 1.54 ERA in that 11.2-inning span. He carried this dominance into October by pitching a 1-2-3 eighth, including a strikeout against Fernando Tatis Jr.

Can Kittredge keep this up throughout the month of October? I have no idea, but for now, can Cubs fans say anything other than Hoyer really aced this pickup?

Craig Counsell pushed every right button

The Cubs made Craig Counsell the richest manager in MLB history when they stole him away from the Milwaukee Brewers, and while it hasn't always been smooth sailing for Counsell in Chicago, games like this are the reason why.

For example, Carson Kelly had just a .589 OPS over the final two months of the regular season, cooling down exponentially after an All-Star first half. It might've made sense for Counsell to have had Reese McGuire or even Moises Ballesteros start this game behind the plate for some better offense, particularly against a right-hander, Nick Pivetta, but he stuck with Kelly, and was rewarded thanks to his go-ahead home run.

Another example of this has to do with the buttons Counsell pushed on the pitching front. He pulled Boyd after just 58 pitches when he, for the most part, looked impressive, and replaced him with a guy who, again, was on the IL a week ago. Clearly, that worked out quite well. Each of the corresponding pitching decisions also worked wonders, as the Cubs didn't surrender a single base runner, let alone run.

For the Cubs to go on a deep postseason run, they're going to need more of this from their manager. Game 1 was an excellent start for Counsell.

Cubs still have more to prove even after Game 1 victory

It was an impressive victory, but there were several factors in play. From the wind blowing in to the shadows being extremely prevalent to the Padres simply not looking like a potent offensive team, a lot of luck could have gone into this Game 1 win.

With Game 2 not even 24 hours away, who knows what to expect? With Horton out, there's reason to believe Shota Imanaga will be the Cubs' Game 2 starter. Imanaga has a solid track record, and he pitched well twice against San Diego this season, but he struggled down the stretch, particularly when it came to limiting home runs. How will he do in Game 2? How will the bullpen do in Game 2 when it isn't fully rested? Can the bats score more than three runs?

Game 1 was impressive, and good enough for Cubs fans to forget about the deadline, but that can all change in a matter of hours. A clunker in Game 2 and/or an early postseason exit could have Cubs fans wondering what could've been with more aggressive moves, particualrly on the pitching front, in what could be Tucker's only year in the Windy City.