Chicago Cubs (18-12) at San Diego Padres (19-10) | Petco Park | 4:10 PM CT
The Chicago Cubs (18–12 after winning 8–3 last night) face the San Diego Padres (19–10) for the series finale at Petco Park. We ENDED our three-game losing streak with last night’s dominant win. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a 3-run homer. Jameson Taillon (1-1, 4.55 ERA) starts for us against Matt Waldron (0-1, 12.46 ERA).
This is the series finale—can we win the series at Petco Park?
Cubs Season: 18-12 After Ending the Losing Streak
Record: 18-12 (Six Games Over .500, Ended Losing Streak)
We’re 18–12 and six games over .500 after ENDING our three-game losing streak with last night’s dominant 8–3 win. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a 3-run homer in the 7th. Edward Cabrera was brilliant (3-0 record). We’re back in the win column!
Last Night’s Dominant Win (8–3):
- Pete Crow-Armstrong: 3-run homer (2nd of season, 410 feet!)
- Nico Hoerner: 2-run double (now 26 RBIs!)
- Dansby Swanson: 2-run double (left with glute cramp)
- Edward Cabrera: 3-0 record, 5.2/3 IP, 7 Ks
- Six RBIs with two outs (clutch hitting!)
Series vs Padres (1-1, Going for Win):
- Game 1: Lost 9–7 (Ballesteros grand slam not enough)
- Game 2: Won 8–3 (dominated!)
- Game 3: Series finale today
Key Stats:
- 39 home runs (4th in MLB!)
- .262 batting average (3rd in MLB)
- 5.4 runs per game (3rd in MLB)
- Ended three-game slide with statement win
Jameson Taillon Tonight:
- 1-1, 4.55 ERA this season
- Veteran right-hander
- Trying to win the series at Petco
We bounced back last night. Now win the series finale!
San Diego Padres: 19-10 After Bullpen Meltdown
The Padres are 19–10 after their bullpen got DESTROYED 8–3 last night. They blew a 2-0 lead and gave up 6 runs in the final three innings.
Padres After Last Night:
- Lost 8–3 (bullpen meltdown)
- Bullpen ERA: 8.84 over last 6 games (24 runs allowed!)
- Series tied 1-1, trying to win at home
Matt Waldron Starting:
- 0-1, 12.46 ERA (BRUTAL numbers!)
- 2.31 WHIP (allowing tons of baserunners)
- Only 8.2 innings pitched this season
- VERY exploitable for our hot offense
Padres Key Players:
- Xander Bogaerts: Homered last night (5th of season)
- Luis Campusano: .350 batting average
- Ty France: 2 hits last night
Padres Bullpen Issues:
- 8.84 ERA in last 6 games
- 24 runs allowed in 22.2/3 innings
- .358 opponent average (up from .242 season average)
What We’re Facing:
- Padres trying to win series at home
- But Waldron has a 12.46 ERA (VERY vulnerable!)
- Bullpen is STRUGGLING (8.84 ERA recently)
The Padres’ pitching is STRUGGLING. Waldron has a 12.46 ERA. We can win this series!
Key Matchups at Petco Park
Jameson Taillon (4.55 ERA) vs Padres Lineup
Taillon needs to give us 6 quality innings. The Padres can score but we have momentum.
Cubs Offense (5.4 RPG, 3rd in MLB) vs Matt Waldron (12.46 ERA)
We’re the 3rd-highest scoring team in baseball. Waldron has a 12.46 ERA. ATTACK HIM early and often!
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner vs Waldron
PCA hit a 3-run bomb last night. Hoerner had a 2-run double. Keep the offense rolling.
Series Win on the Line
Series tied 1-1. Win today and we WIN THE SERIES at Petco Park against a hot Padres team!
What the Cubs Need at Petco Park
Jameson Taillon Gives Us 6 Quality Innings
Taillon needs to keep us in the game. Give us 6 innings, 3-4 runs and let our offense work.
Offense ATTACKS Waldron’s 12.46 ERA
We scored 8 runs last night. Waldron has a 12.46 ERA and 2.31 WHIP. Jump on him early!
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Hoerner Stay Hot
PCA homered last night (3-run shot!). Hoerner had a 2-run double (26 RBIs). Keep producing.
Win the Series Finale
Ended three-game slide last night. Win today and WIN THE SERIES at Petco Park!
Cubs Fan Prediction: We Win the Series!
Final Score: Cubs 7, Padres 4
Jameson Taillon battles—6 innings, 4 runs. Not dominant but keeps us in it.
We ATTACK Waldron’s 12.46 ERA for 7 runs. Ian Happ goes deep. Nico Hoerner drives in runs. We dominate early.
The Padres score 4 but it’s not enough. We WIN THE SERIES at Petco Park!
Three-run win. We’re 19–12, SEVEN GAMES OVER .500. WIN THE SERIES 2-1 in San Diego!
Why the Series Finale Matters
We’re 18–12 after ENDING our three-game losing streak with last night’s 8–3 win. PCA hit a 3-run homer. Cabrera was brilliant. The Padres are 19–10 but Waldron has a 12.46 ERA.
Win today and we’re 19–12, SEVEN GAMES OVER .500 with a SERIES WIN at Petco Park against the hottest team in baseball.
Can Taillon keep them down? Will we attack Waldron’s 12.46 ERA? Can we win the series?
We went 78–84 last year. Going 19–12 with a series win at Petco would be HUGE for our playoff push.
Go Cubs Go. Win the series in San Diego!