Game Details:
- Matchup: San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs (NL Wild Card Series Game 2)
- Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2025
- Time: 3:08 PM EST
- Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
- Moneyline: Padres -105 | Cubs -115
Cubs Fight for Survival in Wild Card Showdown at Wrigley
With their backs against the wall, the Chicago Cubs host the San Diego Padres in a do-or-die Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series. After a stellar 92-win season brought playoff baseball back to the North Side, the Cubs find themselves one loss away from elimination. The Padres, meanwhile, are on the cusp of advancing and look to their ace to shut the door at a roaring Wrigley Field.
The betting odds reflect just how tight this matchup is, with the hometown Cubs listed as razor-thin -115 favorites against the Padres at -105. It’s essentially a coin flip as Chicago’s season hangs in the balance.
Pitching Matchup: Ace vs. The Gauntlet
San Diego Padres: Dylan Cease, RHPThe Padres hand the ball to their power-pitching ace, Dylan Cease, with a chance to clinch the series. Cease’s high-octane fastball and devastating slider give him the ability to dominate any lineup, a crucial asset in the pressure cooker of the postseason. He is the conventional, top-of-the-rotation starter that every team dreams of having on the mound in an elimination scenario. If he is on his game, the Cubs offense will have a difficult time generating momentum.
Chicago Cubs: Andrew Kittredge, RHPIn a strategic gamble, the Cubs will counter not with a traditional starter, but with an “opener” in Andrew Kittredge. This signals a bullpen game for Chicago, a high-risk, high-reward strategy that will test the depth and resilience of their entire pitching staff. Kittredge will be tasked with navigating the top of the Padres’ order before handing it over to a parade of relievers. For the Cubs to extend their season, their bullpen will need to be nearly flawless for nine innings.
Keys to the Game & Injury Report
The Cubs’ offense will be tested without one of its key sluggers. According to reports, outfielder Kyle Tucker was moved to the injured list in September and will not be available for this series, a significant blow to the heart of their lineup. The good news for Chicago is that fellow outfielder Seiya Suzuki, who dealt with a wrist injury earlier in the season, is back and will be a critical piece if the Cubs hope to solve Cease.
The Padres appear to be the healthier club, having navigated injuries to key players like Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove earlier in the season. While there were questions surrounding the status of outfielder Ramón Laureano entering the series, the lineup seems poised to give Cease the run support he needs.
For Chicago, the formula is clear: leverage the energy of the Wrigley Field crowd, get a lead early, and hope the bullpen can hold it. For San Diego, the path is simpler: let your ace be an ace.
Prediction
While home-field advantage in the playoffs is a powerful force, relying on a full bullpen game in an elimination contest is a monumental task. The pressure on each and every Cubs reliever will be immense. The Padres have the clear and decisive advantage on the mound with Dylan Cease, a pitcher built for moments like this. He has the stuff to silence the crowd and neutralize a Cubs lineup that is missing one of its most important bats.
In what promises to be a tense, low-scoring affair, the team with the true ace gets the edge.
Final Score Prediction: Padres 4, Cubs 2
Sources:
San Diego Padres Injury Status – ESPN
San Diego Padres Injury Report and Status 2025 – CBSSports.com
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