Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres preview, Wednesday 4/29, 3:10 CT

Wednesday notes… 18-12 AGAIN: After 30 games, the Cubs are 18-12 for the third straight season and the fifth of the last eight. The last year they were better through 30 games was 2016, when they were 24-6, which tied 1907 for their best 30-game start since 1901. They have had a winning percentage h

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Wednesday notes…

18-12 AGAIN: After 30 games, the Cubs are 18-12 for the third straight season and the fifth of the last eight. The last year they were better through 30 games was 2016, when they were 24-6, which tied 1907 for their best 30-game start since 1901. They have had a winning percentage higher than .600 through 30 games in 20 seasons, but only seven after 1934, including .633 (19-11) in 1995 and 2001. This is the ninth season they have been 18-12: 1927-28, 1938, 2008 and the five starting in 2019. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

SPLITTING THE DIFFERENCE: This is the 14th of the Cubs’ 86 series at San Diego in which they have lost the first game, then won the second. In seven of the previous, the Cubs won the third game, including in one four-game series. The wins in rubber games were in 1972, 1973, 1984, 1992, 2015 and 2021. They lost the third game in 1979, 1980, 1995, 2011, 2013 and 2024. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
RUN SCORING NOTES: Monday night, the Cubs lost for the first time at San Diego when scoring exactly seven runs. They had been 18-0. Last night, they won with eight runs. It was their 10th such win at San Diego. But they had lose three games: the first of its kind, 11-8, in 1970, and then the two before last night, both by 9-8, in 2019 and 2024. In all games at San Diego with at least eight runs, the Cubs are 21-4. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
BASE STEALING NOTES: The Cubs won last night despite the Padres stealing three bases. Since 2024, the Cubs are 6-29 when opponents have stolen three or more bases. Before last night, they had lost seven in a row and 10 of 11. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Cubs lineup:

Padres lineup:

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Matt Waldron, RHP

Jameson Taillon has had some good starts this year, and some where he’s allowed too many home runs and runs. On the other hand, even when he allowed a season-high six runs and three homers to the Pirates, he struck out 10. So he’s been a useful fifth starter type. Unfortunately, with injuries the Cubs need him to step it up

better than that.

Jamo threw four shutout innings against the Padres in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series last October, and allowed two runs in 5.1 innings to the Padres April 14, 2025 in San Diego.

Keeping the ball in the yard will help this afternoon, Jamo.

Matt Waldron spent much of 2024 in the Padres rotation, then spent almost all of last year in the minor leagues, making just one MLB start.

This year, he has made two starts for the Padres and given up six runs in both of them. I’d think the Cubs would take that this afternoon. He has never faced the Cubs and only Alex Bregman (0-for-2) and Michael Conforto (1-for-5, a double) have ever faced him.

Waldron, as you see below, throws a knuckleball. He’s the only current MLB pitcher doing so. You can read more about that here.

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Here is the weather forecast for the area around Petco Park.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the compl e te MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Padres site Gaslamp Ball. If you do go there to interact with Padres fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

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Discuss amongst yourselves.