The Chicago Cubs will attempt to keep their season alive on Wednesday night as they face the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of their National League Wild Card Series at Petco Park.
San Diego took control of the best-of-three series with an 8-0 win in Tuesday’s opener, getting home runs from Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts while holding Chicago to just three hits. Tatis set the tone immediately with a home run on the first pitch of the game, and the Padres never looked back.
The loss leaves the Cubs facing elimination after an offense that led the majors with 850 runs during the regular season was shut out in Game 1. Chicago now needs a win Wednesday to force a decisive Game 3 on Thursday, while San Diego has the opportunity to close out the series at home.
Kevin Gausman gets the ball for the Cubs after finishing the regular season 9-12 with a 4.51 ERA. He’ll face a San Diego lineup that enters Game 2 with plenty of history against him, including Tatis and Machado, who have each homered twice off the veteran right-hander in their careers.
The Padres will counter with Nick Pivetta, who finished 3-2 with a 2.86 ERA in an abbreviated season. Pivetta returned in September after missing nearly five months with an elbow flexor strain and allowed only three earned runs over 18.2 innings in four starts down the stretch.
Cubs vs. Padres Odds Today
San Diego enters Game 2 as a moderate home favorite at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
Best Bet for Cubs vs. Padres
Dansby Swanson Over 1.5 Total Bases: After Chicago managed only three hits in the opener, I’m looking to Swanson to get something going against Pivetta in Game 2.
Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub points to a strong recent trend in this matchup: Swanson has recorded at least two total bases in five of his last six appearances against the Padres. There is also plenty of history between Swanson and the pitcher he’ll see Wednesday night. He’s faced Pivetta 36 times in his career and gone 10-36 (.278) with a double and two home runs.
Chicago obviously needs more from its lineup after being shut out on Tuesday, and Swanson is one of the hitters I’d back to provide it. Over 1.5 total bases is the play.
- Best Bet: Dansby Swanson Over 1.5 Total Bases
Cubs vs. Padres Betting Splits
Hard Rock Bet players are backing San Diego to put a pin in the series Wednesday night:
- The Padres have pulled in 70.7% of the moneyline tickets and 77.8% of the handle.
- Padres -1.5 is drawing 53.8% of the run line betsĀ and 74.3% of the dollars.
- Over 7.5 has received 80.5% of the total tickets and 65.8% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props
PCA and Tatis Jr. each appear twice among the five most-bet player props ahead of Game 2:
- Pete Crow-Armstrong – Over 0.5 Hits
- Pete Crow-Armstrong – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Kevin Gausman – Over 4.5 Strikeouts
- Fernando Tatis Jr. – Over 0.5 Home Runs
- Fernando Tatis Jr. – Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
Cubs vs. Padres Game Info
- š Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California
- š Date: Wednesday, September 30
- ā° First Pitch: 10:00 PM ET
- šŗ TV: NBCSN, Peacock
- ā¾ Probable Pitchers:
- Cubs: Kevin Gausman
- Padres: Nick Pivetta
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