From a Fernando Tatis Jr. leadoff home run to a shutdown performance from stating pitcher Michael King, Game 1 of the National League wild card series couldn't have gone better for the San Diego Padres.
Or worse for the Chicago Cubs.
The Padres dismantled the Cubs in an 8-0 laugher on Tuesday night
, as Tatis and Manny Machado started the fireworks with a pair of first-inning home runs before King settled in to 6 1/3 hitless innings before yielding a Cubs base hit.On Wednesday, the Cubs will look to overcome long odds, as teams who win Game 1 of the wild-card round are 21-3, with 17 two-game sweeps. Home teams have gone 9-0, with eight sweeps, after winning Game 1.
First pitch in Game 2 is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET Wednesday, Sept. 30, with Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA) set to take the mound for the Cubs, facing Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA) for the Padres.
Cubs vs. Padres MLB playoffs live box score
Where to watch Padres vs. Cubs: Channel, live stream
First pitch between the Padres and Cubs is scheduled for 10 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
- TV: Peacock
- Streaming: Peacock
Watch the MLB Postseason on Peacock
Padres lineup today
06:39 PM ET, September 30 2026, Jesse Yomtov- Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
- Dustin Harris (L) LF
- Manny Machado (R) 3B
- Ty France (R) 1B
- Jackson Merrill (L) CF
- Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
- Ethan Salas (L) C
- Austin Hays (R) DH
- Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
Cubs vs Padres starters today: Kevin Gausman (Cubs), Nick Pivetta (Padres)
05:15 PM ET, September 30 2026, Eric LarsenHere's a look at Game 2 starters ahead of tonight's pivotal NL wild card Game 2:
Cubs: Kevin Gausman (9-12, 4.51 ERA)
The Cubs acquired Gausman, a two-time All-Star, ahead of the trade deadline for just this type of high-leverage situation. Solid if not spectacular, Gausman is 2-5 with a 3.83 ERA in 14 playoff appearances, averaging a strikeout per inning. The 14-year MLB veteran is 4-2 in nine starts since joining the Cubs, averaging a little more than 5 1/3 innings per start.
Padres: Nick Pivetta (3-2, 2.86 ERA)
Limited to only eight starts in 2026 due to an elbow injury that landed him on the IL for much of the season. What he's done on the mound since his September return has been encouraging, though. Pivetta is 2-0 in four starts (all Padres wins) since returning. He's been limited to five or fewer innings pitched in those appearances, but has tallied 18 strikeouts to only two walks in 23⅔ innings.
Cubs vs Padres predictions: Bob Nightengale says Padres in 2
05:10 PM ET, September 30 2026, Eric LarsenUSA TODAY MLB insider Bob Nightengale predicts we'll get a Padres sweep tonight, with San Diego moving on to take on the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in National League Divisional Series play. The rest of our baseball staff has the series extending to three games. Here are their predictions from before the start of the series:
Padres vs. Cubs predictions
- Bob Nightengale: Padres in 2
- Gabe Lacques: Padres in 3
- Kristie Ackert: Cubs in 3
- Jesse Yomtov: Padres in 3
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cubs vs Padres LIVE updates, lineups, as San Diego seeks wild card sweep
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