Cubs vs. Padres: A Beginner’s Guide to Their Upcoming Series at Wrigley Field

How Are Both Teams Doing Lately?

The San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs have been on pretty similar roller coasters this season. Here’s the story:

• Back on May 23, the Padres were actually doing really well. They beat the A’s and had a record of 31 wins and 20 losses, sitting in second place in the National League West, just half a game behind the Dodgers.
• But since then? Things have gone downhill. They’ve posted a 12-19 record, which is the worst record in all of Major League Baseball during that stretch.
• They did win four games in a row recently, which was encouraging, but then dropped the last two games of their series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
• That Sunday loss pushed them to 10 games behind first place.

Think of it like this: Imagine you were almost at the top of your class, then your grades started slipping badly. That’s what happened to the Padres — they started strong but have been struggling a lot lately.

A Quick Look Back: Cubs vs. Padres History

This series is special because it’s the first time the Padres will visit Wrigley Field (the Cubs’ home stadium) since last year’s Wild Card Series.

Here’s some fun history between these two teams:

• All-time record at Wrigley Field: The Cubs have dominated, winning 152 games and losing only 110 — that’s a winning percentage of .580 (almost 6 out of every 10 games).
• Recent history is different though: Over the past four years, the Cubs are actually 4-8 against the Padres at home:
  • 2022: Padres swept the series 4-0
  • 2023: Cubs won 2-1
  • 2024: Padres won 2-1
  • 2025 (so far): Cubs won 2-1
• The Padres’ sweep in 2022 was only their sixth sweep ever at Wrigley Field!
• The Cubs have swept the Padres in 17 series all-time, but only three of those sweeps have happened in the 21st century (2009, 2012, and 2021).

In plain English: The Cubs have historically been really good at home against the Padres, but lately, the Padres have been giving them much more of a fight.

Their Earlier Matchups This Season

The Cubs and Padres already played earlier this year:

• April 27 — The Cubs lost their season debut against the Padres in San Diego, 9-7.
• But then the Cubs bounced back and won the next two games, 8-3 and 5-4, kicking off their first 10-game winning streak of the season!

What’s Left on the Cubs’ Schedule?

After this series against the Padres wraps up:

• The Cubs will have 75 games remaining in the season.
• They’re done playing the Padres for the year, and they’ve also finished their seasons against two other NL West teams: the Giants and the Rockies.
• They’ll host the Dodgers for three final home games on August 3-5.
• Then they’ll wrap up their schedule in Arizona on August 24-26.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Here’s who’s likely to be throwing the baseball for each team:

What’s an ERA? ERA stands for Earned Run Average. It’s a number that tells you how many runs a pitcher allows, on average, every nine innings (a full game). Lower is better! Think of it like a report card grade for pitchers — you want the smallest number possible.

Game Times

• Monday: 7:05 p.m. CT — Marquee Sports Network
• Tuesday: 7:05 p.m. CT — Marquee Sports Network
• Wednesday: 1:20 p.m. CT — Marquee Sports Network

What to Expect

The Cubs have been playing solid baseball recently, going 12-4 in their last 16 games — that means they’ve won about 3 out of every 4 games. That’s a really hot streak!

Based on that strong recent performance, the expectation is that the Cubs should be able to win two out of three games in this series.

After the series, the Cubs get Thursday off, and then they’ll welcome the St. Louis Cardinals to Wrigley Field for a three-game series starting Friday afternoon.

Want to learn more about the Padres? Check out their SB Nation site, Gaslamp Ball, for in-depth coverage.

Summary

• The Padres started the season strong but have been the worst team in baseball since late May, falling 10 games behind first place.
• The Cubs have historically dominated the Padres at Wrigley Field (152-110 all-time), but the Padres have been more competitive recently.
• The two teams already played earlier this year, with the Padres winning Game 1 and the Cubs taking Games 2 and 3.
• The Cubs are on a hot streak (12-4 in their last 16 games) and are expected to win the series 2-1.
• After this series, the Cubs have 75 games left, including series against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks to close out the season.

FAQ

Q: What does "NL West" mean?
A: Major League Baseball is split into two big groups (called leagues): the National League (NL) and the American League (AL). Each league is divided into three divisions. The NL West is one of those divisions and includes the Padres, Dodgers, Giants, Diamondbacks, and Rockies.

Q: What’s a "sweep" in baseball?
A: A sweep happens when one team wins every game in a series against the same opponent. For example, if the Cubs win all three games against the Padres, that’s a sweep!

Q: Why are the Cubs expected to win even though the Padres have good pitchers?
A: The Cubs have been playing much better baseball lately (12-4 in their last 16 games), while the Padres have been struggling (worst record in MLB since late May). Recent momentum matters a lot in baseball.

Q: What’s Wrigley Field?
A: Wrigley Field is the home stadium of the Chicago Cubs, located in Chicago. It’s one of the most famous and historic ballparks in all of baseball, having opened in 1914.

Q: How many games are in a full MLB season?
A: Each team plays 162 games in a regular season. That’s a lot of baseball — the season runs from roughly April through September!