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The San Diego Padres<\/a> and the Chicago Cubs<\/a> will play a pivotal, winner-take-all Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series on Thursday, October 2. The series is tied at one game apiece, with the Cubs winning the opener and the Padres taking Game 2.<\/p>\n San Diego will be putting the ball in Yu Darvish’s hands, and he will face his former team. He was with Chicago from 2018-2020, but has been with the Padres since 2021. Darvish tallied a 5-5 record over 15 regular-season starts with a 5.38 ERA. Manager Mike Shildt showed in Game 2 that he has no problem pulling his starter early, as Dylan Cease only went 3.2 innings and allowed no runs with three hits, one walk and five strikeouts.\u00a0<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf2 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp<\/a><\/p>\n Chicago will start veteran pitcher Jameson Taillon. He started 23 for the Cubs during the regular season and had an 11-7 record with a 3.68 ERA. This will be the second playoff start of Taillon’s career. In his lone playoff start, he pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits. With it being Game 3, Chicago will likely have its whole bullpen ready to go if Taillon struggles on Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Sporting News is tracking live updates and highlights from Padres vs. Cubs in Game 3 of the 2025 National League Wild Card Series.\u00a0<\/p>\n STREAM: Watch Cubs vs. Padres Game 3 live in ESPN app<\/a><\/p>\n Cubs vs. Padres score<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n MLB PLAYOFFS HQ: Live MLB scores<\/a> | Full MLB schedule<\/a> | Updated MLB bracket<\/a><\/p>\n Cubs vs. Padres live updates, highlights from NL Wild Card Game 3<\/p>\n All times Eastern.<\/p>\n 6:53 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Swanson is putting on a clinic, as he initiates an inning-ending double play. The Cubs are now nine outs away.<\/p>\n 6:50 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 What a play by Swanson to get Arraez, who misses a chance to give the Padres a leadoff runner for the second time today.<\/p>\n DANSBY SWANSON IS PUTTING ON A CLINIC!<\/p>\n He’s been torturing Luis Arraez today pic.twitter.com\/8EFLWIrIFY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Talkin\u2019 Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 2, 2025<\/a>End of fifth inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0<\/p>\n 6:47 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Peralta works out of trouble as Tucker grounds out. That’s the first time Tucker has been retired today. The Padres hold again but, down to their 12 final outs, need to start scoring runs.<\/p>\n 6:44 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Ian Happ doubles into the gap, so Peralta is fortunate Hoerner grounded into the double play.<\/p>\n 6:42 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Nico Hoerner erases Michael Busch with a double play.<\/p>\n 6:39 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Wandy Peralta is in for King, who isn’t asked to go more than one inning.<\/p>\n 6:37 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Palencia gets Tatis to fly out and ends the threat, keeping the Padres scoreless through five.<\/p>\n 6:35 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Freddy Fermin laces a two-out double down the left field line, but it’s not enough for Sheets to score. The Padres have runners on second and third with Tatis coming to the plate. Palencia needs one more out.<\/p>\n 6:32 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Thielbar picks up his second strikeout of the inning, and Counsell is bringing in Daniel Palencia just as he planned.<\/p>\n 6:30 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Thielbar gives up a one-out single to Gavin Sheets.<\/p>\n 6:28 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Craig Counsell is going to his bullpen early despite Taillon’s dominance. Caleb Thielbar is entering the game with three left-handed hitters coming to the plate.<\/p>\n End of fourth inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0<\/p>\n 6:26 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 King strikes out three consecutive Cubs to work around Kelly’s leadoff hit. The Padres will be looking to King to provide some length after heavy bullpen usage in Game 2.<\/p>\n 6:19 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Michael King is in the game for Estrada, and Carson Kelly leads off the bottom of the first with a single in front of Tatis.\u00a0<\/p>\n 6:15 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Taillon works around the trouble as Xander Bogaerts harmlessly pops out to Swanson. He’s through four scoreless.<\/p>\n 6:13 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 San Diego has its first runner in scoring position as Jackson Merrill doubles to right with two outs.<\/p>\n 6:09 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 An interesting moment as Swanson drops a line drive by Luis Arraez but still gets the out as Arraez appeared to slow down while running to first. The Padres miss a chance to get their second baserunner of the game.<\/p>\n End of third inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0<\/p>\n 6:05 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Estrada gets Suzuki to strike out, working around the two-out single from Tucker.<\/p>\n 6:03 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Here’s what Cubs fans want to see: a 2-for-2 day for Kyle Tucker, who laces a two-out single off Estrada in the third.<\/p>\n 5:58 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Taillon puts together a brilliant third inning, striking out Tatis to close out a 1-2-3 frame. The single from O’Hearn that was nearly snagged by Hoerner remains the only blemish on Taillon today.<\/p>\n End of second inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0<\/p>\n 5:52 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Estrada gets Busch to ground into a double play, and that’s about the best the Padres could’ve hoped for at this point. The Cubs lead 2-0, but San Diego remains within striking distance.<\/p>\n The @Padres<\/a> limit the damage with a timely double play! #Postseason<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/YMwAMQOOxA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n 5:47 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Estrada strikes out Matt Shaw, so the Padres finally get the first out they desperately needed.<\/p>\n Cubs 2, Padres 0<\/p>\n 5:46 p.m.\u00a0RBI WALK\u00a0\u2014 Estrada walks Dansby Swanson, and the Cubs now have a 2-run lead.<\/p>\n Cubs 1, Padres 0<\/p>\n 5:40 p.m.\u00a0RBI SINGLE \u2014 Crow-Armstrong keeps the line moving and dunks one in for an RBI single! The bases remain loaded with no one out. Yu Darvish is coming out of this game for Jeremiah Estrada.<\/p>\n PCA!<\/p>\n The @Cubs<\/a> score first in Game 3! pic.twitter.com\/1zeDFppRbf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n 5:37 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Now Darvish hits Kelly to loaded the bases with nobody out. PCA has a chance to put his second half struggles behind him here.<\/p>\n 5:35 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Here come the Cubs: Kyle Tucker leads off the second inning with a single, and Seiya Suzuki follows him up with a double down the left field line. Chicago has runners on second and third with Carson Kelly coming to the plate.<\/p>\n Seiya Suzuki doubles off Yu Darvish and the Cubs are all set up pic.twitter.com\/HH8wwjWrDf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Talkin\u2019 Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n 5:31 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Taillon fools Sheets and picks up his second strikeout of the day to end the inning.<\/p>\n 5:29 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Taillon gets the first two outs before Ryan O’Hearn lines a ball off Nico Hoerner’s glove for a single. Gavin Sheets will step to the plate with two outs and O’Hearn at first.<\/p>\n End of first inning: Padres 0, Cubs 0<\/p>\n 5:22 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Nico Hoerner is called safe on a stolen base attempt, but the Padres are challenging the call and appear to be right. They’re leaving the field…and they are correct. Freddy Fermin gets Hoerner to end a scoreless first inning.<\/p>\n 5:20 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Ian Happ goes down on strikes for the second out. Shadows are going to be a major factor early in this game, though this one should finish under the lights after starting two hours later than the first two games in this series.\u00a0<\/p>\n 5:18 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Nico Hoerner’s speed prevents a double play, but he grounds into the first out of the inning.<\/p>\n 5:17 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Michael Busch laces a leadoff single off Yu Darvish to fire up an already raucous Wrigley Field crowd.<\/p>\n 5:14 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Crow-Armstrong makes a diving grab to end the inning! Taillon works a 1-2-3 first inning.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pete Crow-Armstrong. Electric. pic.twitter.com\/lJSVHGr6xk<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n 5:12 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 The wind is blowing out and pushes Luis Arraez’s fly ball to the warning track, but it lands harmlessly in the glove of Pete Crow-Armstrong. Here comes Manny Machado with two outs.<\/p>\n 5:11 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Jameson Taillon starts his day with a strikeout of Fernando Tatis Jr.\u00a0<\/p>\n 5:04 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 First pitch is minutes away. Let’s have some fun.<\/p>\n 4:56 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 No surprises for the Cubs as they look for their first postseason series win since 2017.<\/p>\n October baseball at the Friendly Confines! pic.twitter.com\/qmGbXxmfcs<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n 4:45 p.m.\u00a0\u2014 Here’s who the Padres are running out for Game 3:<\/p>\n Let\u2019s play three. pic.twitter.com\/sZ8OTfNMnI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 2, 2025<\/a>Where to watch Cubs vs. Padres today<\/p>\n Padres vs. Cubs start time<\/p>\n Date: Thursday, October 2Time: 5 p.m. ET<\/p>\n Game 3 of the Padres and Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series will begin at 5 p.m. ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.\u00a0<\/p>\n What channel is Padres vs. Cubs on today?<\/p>\n San Diego vs. Chicago in the NL Wild Card round will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Kevin Brown will handle the play-by-play, while Jessica Mendoza and Ben McDonald will be on hand as the analysts on the broadcast.\u00a0<\/p>\n You can also stream the MLB Wild Card games live with the new ESPN app<\/a>, or on Fubo.\u00a0<\/p>\n MORE MLB:\u00a0<\/p>\n