Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres
Updated Sep 27, 2026 5:07 AM EDT.
5Chicago Cubs88-73, 6-12 away
4San Diego Padres90-71, 13-4 homeSeries
Cubs0Game 1 of best-of-30Padres- Game 1Cubs at Padres
- Game 2Cubs at Padres
The No. 5 seed Chicago Cubs (88-73) visit the No. 4 seed San Diego Padres (90-71) in the Wild Card Series of the 2026 MLB playoffs on Tuesday, September 29 at 5:00 AM EDT at Petco Park.
Cubs: wild card, No. 5 seed. Padres: wild card, No. 4 seed.
This page switches to a live score at first pitch and to the final line score and recap when the game ends.
Matchup at a glance
| Cubs | Padres | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 5 | No. 4 |
| Record | 88-73 | 90-71 |
| Division | NL Central | NL West |
| League record | 14-18 | 18-9 |
| Runs scored / allowed | 844 / 701 | 713 / 677 |
| Run differential | +143 | +36 |
| Regular-season streak | L2 | W1 |
| How they got here | Wild card, No. 5 seed | Wild card, No. 4 seed |
Head-to-head this season
Cubs and Padres did not meet during the 2026 regular season.
What the winner gets
A place in the Division Series on 2026-10-03 to 2026-10-10. Seeds are reset after this round, so the No. 1 seed will face the lowest remaining seed.
More Wild Card games
Boston Red Sox
New York YankeesCubs vs Padres FAQ
When is Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres?
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT, at Petco Park.
Who has home-field advantage?
The San Diego Padres host this game.
What round is this?
The Wild Card Series of the 2026 MLB playoffs (2026 season).
What does the winner get?
A place in the Division Series.
Where can I see the full bracket?
On the 2026 MLB playoff bracket page, which links to every game.