A year ago, the Cubs ended the Padres season in three games in the NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field. The Padres won the first matchup of 2026 at Petco Park before dropping the next five head-to-head meetings, including a 23-3 laugher at Wrigley Field on the first day of July in the most lopsided loss in franchise history.
The sweep in Chicago also occurred in the midst of a season-worst eight-game losing streak that dropped the Padres under .500 for the first time since erasing a 2-5 start to the season.
Clearly, the team that will host the Cubs this weekend after a 40-19 run for an MLB-best .678 winning percentage since July 23 is not the same team that limped out of Wrigley Field on July 1.
“Honestly, you probably look at that part of the season as probably the lowest of lows for us,” second baseman Jake Cronenworth said. “It’s right in the middle of an eight-game losing streak. Not just an eight-game losing streak, but we’re getting crushed night in, night out. … It’s one of those things, (your) back’s up against the wall and find a way to get through it and see what’s on the other side.”
No. 5 Cubs vs. No. 4 Padres
SCHEDULE
(Best of three, all games on NBC / Peacock, 97.3 The Fan, XEMO 860 (Spanish); all times Pacific)
Game 1: Cubs TBA at Padres RHP Michael King (12-10, 3.21 ERA), TBA Tuesday
Game 2: Cubs TBA at Padres TBA, TBA Wednesday
Game 3 (if necessary): Cubs TBA at Padres TBA, TBA Thursday
WHAT TO KNOW
Records: Cubs (88-73, 2nd in NL Central), Padres (90-71, 2nd in NL West)
Head-to-head: The Cubs won five of six meetings this year, outscoring the Padres 55-28. That includes Chicago taking two of three at Petco Park in late April.
Recent postseason history: The Cubs are in the postseason for the fifth time since winning the 2016 World Series. They eliminated the Padres in three games in last year’s NL Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field before losing in five games to the Brewers. The Padres are in the postseason for the third year in a row and the fifth time in seven years. They advanced as deep as Game 5 in the 2022 NLCS.
Going to WAR (FanGraphs.com): Cubs—OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (10.7), 3B Alex Bregman (5.1), OF Seiya Suzuki (4.6), SS Dansby Swanson (3.4), RHP Kevin Gausman (3.1), 2B Nico Hoerner (2.8), OF Ian Happ (2.7), 1B Michael Busch (2.4), RHP Ben Brown (2.0); Padres—OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (5.5), OF Jackson Merrill (4.0), RHP Mason Miller (3.8), 1B Ty France (3.5), LHP Adrián Morejón (2.8), RHP Michael King (2.6), SS Xander Bogaerts (2.5), 3B Manny Machado (2.3).
Health check: 3B Alex Bregman has made his way back to the Cubs’ lineup days after sustaining multiple facial fractures after being struck by a foul ball. RHP Kevin Gausman injured his left shoulder making a diving tag in his last start (Sept. 23). LHP Justin Steele (flexor strain) is nearing a return and could be an option in the postseason. Former Padres RHP Phil Maton (knee) is among the relievers out for the year, which includes RHP Ben Brown (neck), the team’s most valuable pitcher this season. … In San Diego, DH Miguel Andujar (wrist) is healthy but has not been activated off the injured list as DH Gavin Sheets (foot) was on Saturday. RHP Joe Musgrove (elbow) threw living batting practice on Friday and remains an option for subsequent rounds. RHP Jeremiah Estrada (shoulder) and OF Ramón Laureano (hip surgery) are rehabbing in Arizona. INF Luis Rengifo had season-ending knee surgery this month.
RANKS
AVG: Cubs (.251, 6th), Padres (.244, 17th)
OBP: Cubs (.338, 2nd), Padres (.319, 12th)
SLG: Cubs (.427, 1st), Padres (.398, 20th)
HRs: Cubs (218, 3rd), Padres (182, 14th)
Steals: Cubs (114, 10th), Padres (163, 3rd)
Rotation ERA: Cubs (4.27, 18th), Padres (4.45, 21st)
Bullpen ERA: Cubs (3.93, 13th), Padres (3.50, 5th)
Strikeout-to-walk ratio: Cubs (2.52, 14th), Padres (2.37, 17th)
Defensive runs saved: Cubs (113, 1st), Padres (32, 12th)
CLUBHOUSE LEADERS
OPS: Cubs—OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (.942), OF Seiya Suzuki (.841), 3B Alex Bregman (.799); Padres—OF Fernando Tatis Jr. (.828), OF Jackson Merrill (.743), 3B Manny Machado (.710).
HRs: Cubs—Crow-Armstrong (45), Bregman (26), Suzuki (26), OF Ian Happ (24), 1B Michael Busch (20); Padres—Machado (30), Merrill (26), Tatis (25), 1B Ty France (21).
RBIs: Cubs—Crow-Armstrong (107), Bregman (89), Suzuki (86); Padres—Machado (90), Merrill (87), Tatis (83).
Steals: Cubs—Crow-Armstrong (41), 2B Nico Hoerner (23), SS Dansby Swanson (17); Padres—Tatis (38), Merrill (27), SS Xander Bogaerts (22).
Saves: Cubs—RHP Jacob Webb (9-for-17, 3.41 ERA), RHP Daniel Palencia (3-for-4, 3.64 ERA), several others tied with three; Padres—RHP Mason Miller (38-for-41, 1.67 ERA).
Holds: Cubs—RHP Ryan Zeferjahn (14, 3.88 ERA), Webb (8), LHP Ryan Rolison (7, 3.14 ERA), LHP Caleb Thielbar (7, 4.86 ERA), LHP Hoby Milner (6, 3.53 ERA), RHP Trent Thornton (6, 3.35 ERA); Padres—LHP Adrián Morejón (28, 2.83 ERA), RHP Jason Adam (18, 2.62 ERA), RHP Bradgley Rodriguez (17, 2.19 ERA).
The Chicago Cubs’ Alex Bregman celebrates after clinching a National League wild-card spot following a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Melissa Tamez)
THINGS TO WATCH
The Cubs went 10-13 in September to cede the NL’s top wild-card spot to the surging Padres (17-6). That includes losing four of their last five games and a doubleheader on Friday in Boston. Baseball’s highest-scoring team with 844 runs, the Cubs’ offense was especially cold over the last week (.642 OPS, 21st) and lost 3B Alex Bregman to facial fractures sustained after a foul ball struck him in the on-deck circle. Bregman was 0-for-4 in a quick return to the lineup in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader.
The Cubs rank 10th in the majors in stolen bases, led by OF Pete Crow-Armstrong piling up 41 en route to the seventh 40-40 season in MLB history and a likely unanimous NL MVP selection. Padres catchers led the majors with 51 runners caught stealing and a 33% caught-stealing rate. Among the catchers on the roster, Luis Campusano (35.6%) leads that unit followed by Freddy Fermin (30.8). Rookie Ethan Salas, 20, has not thrown out any of the six attempts against him since his call-up on Sept. 1.
The Cubs lead the majors with a .793 OPS against left-handed pitching, a strength for the Padres in the bullpen with Yuki Matsui (1.83 ERA), Adrián Morejón (2.83 ERA) and Wandy Peralta (3.61 ERA). LHP Robbie Ray struggled as a Padre (5.02 ERA), but he could be available out of the bullpen as well. Meantime, OF Seiya Suzuki (.966 OPS) leads the Cubs against left-handers, followed by OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (.879), a lefty, 3B Alex Bregman (.850) and the left-handed-hitting Michael Busch (.774).
CROSS-TOWN CONNECTIONS
Jed Hoyer has ascended from general manager of the Cubs to president of baseball operations since leaving his job as the Padres general manager after the 2011 season. His bench coach, Ryan Flaherty, got his start in coaching with the Padres in 2020, while third base coach Quintin Berry’s path to Chicago includes stops at Morse High, Grossmont College, San Diego State and the Padres minor league system in 2010. Right-hander Colin Rea was the Padres’ 12th-round pick in 2011 before pitching in 2015-16 in San Diego and INF Gabriel Arias was a Padres prospect who was part of the trade for Mike Clevinger in 2020. Padres special assistant Mark Loretta was the Cubs’ bench coach in 2019. Special assistant Moisés Alou played for the Cubs (2002-04), as did infield coach Nick Punto (2011-14).