Cramping in Manny Machado’s left calf forced him from Monday’s game and will bar him from Tuesday’s starting lineup, although Padres manager Craig Stammen said he expects his third baseman to be available off the bench.

“Manny’s doing pretty good today,” Stammen said before the 6:40 p.m. first pitch on Padres.TV. “Day to day with it, but feel good about where he’s at. He’s not worried about it all. I don’t think we’re that worried about it, either.”

Machado appeared to begin favoring his left leg after sliding into second base in the third inning with his first of two doubles. He also singled but was pulled after a groundout in the bottom of the sixth inning, forcing Stammen to move Ty France from first base to third base.

A day later, Stammen is going with a new third baseman: Jake Cronenworth.

“He’s just a great defensive player to begin with,” Stammen said. “I told my son when he was just starting to take groundballs, I said, watch Jake Cronenworth take groundballs. That’s how I want you to take groundballs. So he’s someone that does everything the right way. Has always done everything the right way. It’s someone we trust immensely in this organization with a lot of different things. And feel good about him playing third base tonight.”

Cronenworth was approached with the possibility of playing third base in a pinch while the team was in Colorado last week. His only time at third base in the majors was as a rookie in 2020, when he essentially lined up in right field in an extreme shift.

He started 38 games at third base in the minors and played the position at Michigan, so Cronenworth told Stammen to give him a few days of practice there and he’d be game ready.

“Usually like on my off days, I’ll mess around (there) and obviously I’ll go to shortstop just in case, and sometimes third base, but nothing like consistently,” Cronenworth said. “But I’m excited. Love moving around and playing everywhere. So it’ll be fun.”

Tuesday night at the ballpark. pic.twitter.com/mcA0evMufM

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 28, 2026

With Cronenworth at third base, France will start a second straight day at first base, Gavin Sheets will serve as the DH and Fernando Tatis Jr. will start a second straight day at second base. Bryce Johnson, however, will get the start in right field over Nick Castellanos, just Johnson’s fifth start this season.

Catcher Luis Campusano is batting seventh, his highest spot in the order yet this year. Without Machado in the lineup, Xander Bogaerts will serve as the cleanup hitter.

Here is how the Cubs will start in Game 2:

Night two.

Watch the game live on @WatchMarquee. pic.twitter.com/wX1sG8VADo

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 28, 2026

 

Tuesday’s pitching matchup

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 last year. Three of his five starts this year have been quality, but Cabrera allowed five runs — three earned — in seven innings last week against the Phillies. Cabrera has an 0.54 ERA in three career starts against the Padres, including one run in 5⅔ innings in a win last year.

Here is how Cabrera has fared against current Padres:

Padres RHP Walker Buehler (1-2, 5.75 ERA)

He tied a season-high with three walks while lasting just 2⅔ innings (4 ER) in his last start at Coors Field. His two strikeouts in that loss were a season low. Buehler has a 4.54 ERA in 37⅔ innings (7 games, 6 starts) in his career against the Cubs. He last faced them in 2024 (5 IP, 5 ER).

Here is how Buehler has fared against current Cubs: