Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres
- Game 1: 6:40 p.m. Monday (Padres.TV)
- Game 2: 6:40 p.m. Tuesday (Padres.TV)
- Game 3: 1:10 p.m. Wednesday (Padres.TV)
In the standings
Chicago Cubs (17-11, 2nd in NL Central)
The Cubs had gained 10 in a row earlier than dropping their final two video games at Dodger Stadium. They stay a sport behind the Reds in the NL Central, whereas their plus-31 run differential is fourth finest in the majors. Chicago break up its six video games towards the Padres final yr, however Chicago bounced the Padres in three video games in the NL Wild Card Series.
San Diego Padres (18-9, 2nd in NL West)
The Padres had gained six straight sequence earlier than dropping a lead in the seventh inning on Sunday in Mexico City as they settled for a break up with Arizona. The Padres went 5-3 on the street journey by means of Anaheim (2-1), Colorado (2-1) and Mexico City to play Arizona (1-1). The Padres’ plus-12 run differential is seventh finest in the majors. Their file is third finest, behind the Braves (20-9) and the Dodgers (19-9).
Trending
Chicago: The Cubs are hitting .291/.379/.489 over the final week, with OF Seiya Suzuki (1.183 OPS) accounting for 4 of the crew’s 13 homers over that stretch. 1B Michael Busch (.881 OPS) and SS Dansby Swanson (.734 OPS) each have two house runs in the final week. Rookie Moises Ballesteros DH Moises Ballesteros is hitting .438/.526/.875 over the final week. LHP Hoby Milner (2.70 ERA) leads the crew with 13 appearances on the season, adopted by 12 from RHP Jacob Webb (4.66 ERA).
San Diego: The Padres performed 5 straight video games in elevation, however solely two regulars had an OPS over .570 in Colorado and Mexico City: SS Xander Bogaerts (.929) and 3B Manny Machado, who homered twice on Sunday to push his OPS to .889. On the flip facet, 5 Padres completed that portion of the journey below .600: 2B Jake Cronenworth (.568), OF Ramón Laureano (.566), OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.542), 1B Gavin Sheets (.529) and OF Jackson Merrill (.509). RHP Mason Miller is using a string of 34⅔ straight scoreless innings, a franchise file.
Pitching matchups
Monday
Cubs LHP Matthew Boyd (1-1, 5.79 ERA) | The 35-year-old veteran has a 22-to-3 strikeout to stroll ratio by means of three begins (14 IP). He missed three weeks with a biceps pressure. Boyd confronted the Padres twice in the common season final yr (1.59 ERA, 11⅓ IP) and as soon as in the NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field (4⅓ IP, 1 ER).
Padres RHP Randy Vásquez (2-0, 1.88 ERA) | The Padres have gained all 5 of his begins, three of which have been high quality. Vásquez beat the Rockies at Coors Field final week, hanging out 5 over seven shutout innings with out a stroll. He has a 2.57 ERA in three profession begins towards the Cubs. He walked seven towards 4 strikeouts in two begins final yr (2.79 ERA).
Tuesday
Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (2-0, 2.73 ERA) | The Cubs pried Cabrera from the Marlins over the offseason for former Padres draftee Owen Caissie and two minor leaguers. Cabrera is coming off a career-high 137 ⅔ innings final yr. Three of his 5 begins this yr have been high quality, however Cabrera allowed 5 runs — three earned — in seven innings final week towards the Phillies. Cabrera has an 0.54 ERA in three profession begins towards the Padres, together with one run in 5⅔ innings in a win final yr.
Padres RHP Walker Buehler (1-2, 5.75 ERA) | He tied a season-high with three walks whereas lasting simply 2⅔ innings (4 ER) in his final begin at Coors Field. His two strikeouts in that loss had been a season low. Buehler has a 4.54 ERA in 37⅔ innings (7 video games, 6 begins) in his profession towards the Cubs. He final confronted them in 2024 (5 IP, 5 ER).
Wednesday
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.55 ERA) | He’s gone six innings in three of his 5 begins to this point this season, however he has a 5.73 ERA in two street begins. Taillon has a 2.40 ERA in 5 regular-season begins towards the Padres. He additionally began final yr’s decisive Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series with 4 shutout innings.
Padres RHP Matt Waldron (0-1, 12.46 ERA) | He has allowed 16 hits, together with two house runs, by means of his first two begins (8 ⅔ innings. Waldron has thrown his knuckleball 31.3% of the time to this point and is permitting a .500 batting common and a .929 slugging proportion off the pitch. This is Waldron’s first profession begin towards the Cubs.
2026 crew leaders
- OPS: Cubs—2B Nico Hoerner (.856), OF Ian Happ (.830), SS Dansby Swanson (.740); Padres—SS Xander Bogaerts (.781), OF Ramón Laureano (.777), 1B Gavin Sheets (.710).
- HRs: Cubs—Happ (7), Swanson (6), 4 tied with 3; Padres—Bogaerts (4), Laureano (4), 3B Manny Machado (4).
- RBIs: Cubs—Hoerner (23), Swanson (21), Happ (14); Padres—Laureano (18), Bogaerts (16), Machado (16).
- Steals: Cubs—Hoerner (7), OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (2), OF Matt Shaw (2); Padres—OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (6), OF Jackson Merrill (5), two tied with 3.
- Saves: Cubs—LHP Caleb Thielbar (2-for-3, 3.12 ERA), three tied with 1; Padres—RHP Mason Miller (10-for-10, 0.00 ERA).
- Holds: Cubs—LHP Hoby Milner (2, 2.70 ERA), RHP Ben Brown (1, 2.37 ERA), Thielbar (1); Padres—RHP Jason Adam (5, 1.59 ERA), LHP Kyle Hart (4, 4.91 ERA), LHP Adrián Morejón (4, 5.93 ERA).
Training room
Chicago: The Cubs bullpen is dealing with a lot of accidents, led by nearer (laDaniel Palencia t pressure). Chicago can also be with out LHP Riley Martín (elbow), RHP Phil Maton (knee), LHP Caleb Thielbar (hamstring), RHP Hunter Harvey (triceps), LHP Jordan Wicks (forearm), RHP Ethan Roberts (finger), RHP Shelby Miller (elbow) and RHP Porter Hodge (flexor). RHP Cade Horton (UCL) is finished for the yr, whereas LHP Justin Steele (elbow) might return from final yr’s surgical procedure in the first half of the season.
San Diego: RHP Jeremiah Esterada (elbow) is rehabbing at low Single-A Lake Elsinore, whereas RHP Griffin Canning (Achilles) has made 4 rehab begins at Triple-A El Paso. LHP Yuki Matsui (groin) can also be rehabbing with El Paso. RHP Nick Pivetta (elbow) continues to be in a relaxation and rehab mode, whereas RHP Joe Musgrove (Tommy John) has not returned to the mound since his spring coaching setback.
