The Chicago Cubs, holding the fifth seed, are set to compete against the fourth-seeded San Diego Padres in a three-game National League wild-card series commencing on Tuesday at Petco Park. This marks the Cubs’ fourth consecutive second-place finish in the NL Central, with the Milwaukee Brewers claiming their fourth straight division title.
Last season, the Cubs defeated the Padres in a wild-card series at Wrigley Field but fell to the Brewers 3-2 in the subsequent division series. This year, the Cubs have dominated the Padres, winning five out of six games and outscoring them 55-28, highlighted by a 23-3 victory on July 1.
The Cubs last played a postseason series in San Diego during the 1984 National League Championship Series, where the Padres won all three home games to overturn the series 3-2.
Game Schedule:
- Game 1: Tuesday, 9 p.m.
- Game 2: Wednesday, 9 p.m.
- Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Division series details:
- From Oct. 3 to 10, best-of-five, 2-2-1 format
- No. 1 Brewers against Cubs/Padres winner
- No. 2 Los Angeles Dodgers versus Atlanta Braves/No. 6 seed winner
Championship series details:
- From Oct. 11 to 20, best-of-seven, 2-3-2 format
Extra Cubs news notes that the team’s wild-card rotation plans remain uncertain as they monitor Kevin Gausman’s left shoulder health. Other headlines suggest an exciting possibility of witnessing Pete Crow-Armstrong teaming up with Shohei Ohtani.
Furthermore, Pete Crow-Armstrong has made history as the first Chicago Cub to achieve a 40-40 season, joining only six other MLB players in this feat.
Cubs fans are keenly watching as the team eyes a successful postseason run, celebrating their return to the playoffs but acknowledging the mission is not yet fulfilled.
In other news, the Chicago Cubs experienced a setback when they dropped both games of a doubleheader, impacting their home wild-card aspirations. Fans are also on edge as the Cubs prepare to relocate their finale to Tropicana Field before heading to San Diego for the wild-card series.