Q. Kyle, you've played in some win-or-go-home games in your career. How would you describe the feeling today and the mentality of going into a game like this?
KYLE TUCKER: I mean, obviously it's the most important game of the year so far. We've got to win it to continue going on. That's what we're focused on today, and we've got a really good team we're going up against, but we've just got to be better than them today.
Q. When you do have that kind of experience, is there anything you can draw on on a day like this?
KYLE TUCKER: Just kind of relying on everything that's gotten me to this point. Just kind of grind through the at-bats, try and keep it moving down the line 1 through 9, play good defensive pitching like we have and try and grind it out and try and score some more runs than they do.
Q. Where do you feel like your swing is at, especially just given the time that you missed with the injury and then having a few at-bats before the season and here in the postseason?
KYLE TUCKER: It feels good. Barrel to the ball yesterday first at-bat, just got an out, and then last at-bat got a hit there. Overall, I feel pretty good.
I mean, just try and barrel up some more pitches today and keep it moving down the line.
Q. You've gotten to experience the atmosphere here all year, but with it being the postseason and even with the uncertainty of where you'll be next year, how are you kind of absorbing and taking this all in?
KYLE TUCKER: It's been great. I mean, you know, every game during the regular season has kind of felt like how it has the last two games. Our fans come out and support us and kind of make it feel like a playoff game every single day, so it's pretty important for us to go out there and play well and do well on behalf of the fans and try and get another win today.
It's been exciting this year, and they've been supporting us all year, and they've continued that so far in the playoffs.
Q. Do you talk to PCA or any of the younger players about your experience? I'm sure you've had some struggles in the postseason before and gotten through it. What do you say?
KYLE TUCKER: Sometimes it's just baseball things, things happen, but you just try and come back the next day and do better.
But we have a really talented team. Pete is a phenomenal player, and he's been phenomenal for us all year. I have the utmost confidence in him along with everyone else. You just kind of move on to your next at-bat, move on to the next play and keep it going.
Q. What can you say about the Padres' staff and what it'll take today to have success and also kind of adding in the different time of day and what the shadows could be like at the start of the game?
KYLE TUCKER: We'll see how it is later on tonight, but they have a really good pitching staff. They've done a phenomenal job the last two days just executing stuff. But on the flip side of that, we've got to do a better job of controlling the strike zone, barreling up pitches and grinding the at-bats out, and kind of putting some more pressure on time. We'll try and continue that today and see how it goes.
Q. We've asked you guys throughout the year about your resilience in the regular season. What elements of that can carry through to the postseason, I guess, if any?
KYLE TUCKER: I mean, some. I mean, we compete all year from Spring Training until now to get to this point and try and continue it on through the World Series.
We've had pretty much the same group all year long, and we're having each other's backs, whether we have good days or bad days. We've just got to try and grind through them and try and come out with a win regardless. We're going to try to do that again today and try to keep it going on.
Q. You were on the other side of the field when Taillon made his last postseason start, just how would you describe what it's been like watching what he did the last six weeks of the regular season and just the expectation of knowing he's on the mound for you guys today?
KYLE TUCKER: Yeah, he's been great for us. He was down, I think, twice this year on the IL, but when he was healthy, he was phenomenal for us. He goes out there and competes, gives us a lot of innings and gives us chances to win games. He's a phenomenal person and player, and he's going to do his best out there, I'm sure.
Q. From your experience, what does it take in these games? We talked about the approach at hitting, or that mental side of it, like what makes someone come out on the winning side?
KYLE TUCKER: You've just got to focus on the job at task and at hand. Whenever it's your at-bat, just try and prepare for that at-bat and try and grind through it. You don't have to do too much, just keep it moving down the line, whether it's taking walks or take a single or hit by a pitch, whatever it is to move runners over or get on base. Doesn't really matter how you do. It's more so the fact that you're helping out the team, whether it's guy on second, no outs, you're just getting over to third no matter what.
Things like that matter a lot more in the playoffs here. Every run counts a lot more. Every 90 feet counts. You just try and do your best to try and take advantage of those opportunities.
Q. How is the calf feeling? Craig made it sound like you might still be working through it a smidge. Just trying to get pregame reps in the outfield?
KYLE TUCKER: Yeah, it's getting there. I feel pretty good. No matter what, I've got to go out there and play and perform regardless. I feel pretty good, I'm just trying to take my at-bats and go as hard as I can.
Q. You've talked a lot about the atmosphere at Wrigley Field. I was curious after a full year of playing at Wrigley, could you explain the challenge of hitting here as a left-hander, seeing kind of what the environment has been for most of this year?
KYLE TUCKER: It kind of depends on the days or really the wind. But regardless of that, the other team is playing with the same factors too so you have to go out there and try to square up the ball and hit it on the barrel and try and drive some runs in or get on base. Some days it's a little bit easier than others, but both sides are still playing with it, so you've just got to go up there and do your best with it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports