Chicago Cubs @ San Diego Padres – 2026 NL Wild Card Series Preview: Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4

For a second consecutive season, the Cubs (89-73) are headed to the postseason. It’s just the fourth time in franchise history they have gone to the playoffs multiple years in a row. They finished on a bit of a down note, though, going just 11-13 in the month of September and losing home-field advantage in the Wild Card round. That means they will travel to Southern California to play the three-game series against the Padres (91-71) starting Tuesday.

The same two teams tangled in the Wild Card at Wrigley Field last season, with Chicago eventually moving on in three games. San Diego has almost the exact same record as they did in 2025 behind a roster that changed little in the offseason.

The Pads are pretty average offensively, with a .717 team OPS that is just 18th best in baseball. They do a good job of getting on base, as evidenced by a .319 team OBP, but they do very little slugging with just a .399 mark. That lack of power is almost certainly related to the very pitcher-friendly conditions at Petco Park.

With all those power limitations in mind, there still are some very dangerous hitters in San Diego’s lineup. Fernando Tatis Jr. came on strong in the second half, finishing with 25 homers after not hitting his first until May 30. Manny Machado had some major struggles but still can punish mistakes, and he hit 30 dingers in 2026. First baseman Ty France has also been pretty dangerous in the middle of the order with an .856 OPS and 21 homers.

The Padres’ pitching staff is the stronger aspect of the squad with a 3.99 team ERA, which was good enough for 10th place in MLB. The starting rotation has seen plenty of turnover with Dylan Cease and Yu Darvish gone and Robbie Ray coming over in a midseason trade from the Giants. Michael King has been the ace in 2026 and Nick Pivetta, who was excellent in 2025, is back after missing four months with an elbow injury.

As has been the case the past few seasons, the Friars have an elite bullpen with a 3.55 ERA that is the 5th best in baseball. Closer Mason Miller routinely hits triple digits and has 38 saves, a 1.67 ERA, and 129 strikeouts in just 70 innings. Yuki Matsui, Bradgley Rodriguez, Jason Adam, and Adrian Morejon have all been huge in high-leverage roles.

The Cubs’ 2026 season has been a rollercoaster ride that included a 10-game losing streak, two 10-game winning streaks, a probable MVP year from Pete Crow-Armstrong, and a pitching staff that has almost come apart due to injuries and poor performance. Anything is possible in this series, making a prediction seem impossible. Whatever happens, it’s going to be a wild ride, so fasten those seatbelts.

Game Time and Broadcast Info

• Tuesday, September 29 at 9:00pm CT on Peacock.
• Wednesday, September 30 at 9:00pm CT on Peacock.
• Thursday, October 1 at 9:00pm CT on Peacock (if necessary).

Starting Pitchers

What to Watch For

• Neither team has named starting pitchers for games two or three. Kevin Gausman, David Peterson, and Shōta Imanaga are all possible options for Chicago.
• Alex Bregman remarkably returned to the lineup just five days after suffering several facial fractures when he was hit in the on-deck circle with a foul ball. He will likely be limited to DH, but he did get a pair of home runs on Sunday.
• PCA batted .185 in the playoffs last season with no extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts in 27 at-bats.
• The Cubs won the season series against the Padres 5-1, including winning two games at Petco Park.
• San Diego is 51-30 at their home stadium; only the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves, and Rays had more wins.