These teams meet for the first time since the Cubs defeated the Padres in last year’s tightly-fought Wild Card Series. Both teams are off to good starts in 2026; perhaps they will meet again in October.
For more on the Padres, here’s Matt DeWalt, manager of our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball.
Fun facts
San Diego is the only current National League city other than Chicago at which the Cubs have a winning record. They are 133-129, .508.
But they lost two of three each of the past two years, after having split four games in 2023. From 2018-22, the Cubs had gone 9-4 in San Diego.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Monday: Matthew Boyd, LHP (1-1, 5.79 ERA, 1.143 WHIP, 1.56 FIP) vs. Randy Vasquez, RHP (2-0, 1.88 ERA, 1.081 WHIP, 2.53 FIP)
Tuesday: Edward Cabrera, RHP (2-0, 2.73 ERA, 1.180 WHIP, 3.63 FIP) vs. Walker Buehler, RHP (1-2, 5.75 ERA, 1.623 WHIP, 3.27 FIP)
Wednesday: Jameson Taillon, RHP (1-1, 4.55 ERA, 1.301 WHIP, 6.02 FIP) vs. Matt Waldron, RHP (0-1, 12.46 ERA, 2.308 WHIP, 6.24 FIP)
Times & TV channels
Monday: 8:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, streaming on Peacock (Padres broadcast)
Tuesday: 8:40 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Padres market territories)
Wednesday: 3:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
This will not be an easy series. The Padres are a very good team and are 9-4 at home this year. They’ve had to travel from Denver to Mexico City to San Diego over the last week, though. Maybe they’ll be tired from playing at altitude for a week. (Yes, I’m reaching.) I’m going to say the Cubs will get good outings from Boyd and Cabrera and win two of three.
Up next
The Cubs have Thursday off, then return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning Friday afternoon.
