Padres vs Chicago Cubs Timeline: H2H History & Recent Games

When the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs meet, it’s been even rarer than most. Their first playoff showdown since 1984 played out in September and October 2025, with Wrigley Field hosting a tense three-game NL Wild Card Series that went down to the final out. If you’ve been trying to piece together the full timeline of how these two clubs stack up head-to-head, you’re in the right place.

Head-to-Head Games Since 1993: 166 · Padres Wins: 80 · Cubs Wins: 86 · Recent 2025 Game: Padres 4-2 Cubs (Apr 16) · Padres PPG in H2H: 4.1

The key facts table below consolidates the most important Padres-Cubs metrics for quick reference.

Who won game 3 Cubs or Padres?

The Chicago Cubs took Game 3 of the 2025 NL Wild Card Series 3-1 over the San Diego Padres on October 2, clinching the best-of-three series and eliminating the Padres. Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered the key hit, driving in a run with a single against a struggling Yu Darvish, who absorbed the loss after allowing two earned runs in just one inning of work. The Cubs shut down Fernando Tatis Jr. throughout the decisive game, keeping the Padres’ star quiet when it mattered most.

Game 3 Location

All three NL Wild Card games were played at Wrigley Field in Chicago — the Cubs’ home ballpark, where they went 2-1 in the series. MLB’s standard format awards the home field to the higher seed, which in this case was the Cubs after their 92-70 regular season record outpaced the Padres’ 90-72 mark.

Final Score and Key Plays

The final line read Cubs 3, Padres 1, with the Cubs’ pitching staff holding San Diego to just four hits. The game featured no grand surprises — the Cubs built an early lead and their bullpen made it stand up. After splitting Games 1 and 2, the series shifted decisively when Crow-Armstrong’s clutch hit off Darvish broke things open in the middle innings.

Who is favored to win, Padres or Cubs?

Heading into the 2025 NL Wild Card Series, oddsmakers slightly favored the Cubs, reflecting their superior regular season record (92-70 vs 90-72). The Cubs also held home field advantage throughout the series, which MLB postseason odds typically weight heavily. For Game 2 specifically, the Padres were installed as slight favorites after their strong start — and they delivered with a shutout victory.

Odds and Expert Picks

National League playoff odds leading into the Wild Card round gave the Cubs approximately 60-40 edge in the series, according to ESPN’s pregame coverage. The reasoning centered on Chicago’s deeper rotation and home field edge at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs finished 48-33 during the regular season. The Padres countered with their own strengths — a dominant bullpen anchored by Mason Miller, and a lineup featuring Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. capable of quick comebacks.

Padres at Cubs Wild Card Game 2 Prediction

When the two clubs met on October 1, 2025, for Game 2, the Padres came out dominant. Manny Machado blasted a two-run homer measured at 403 feet, and Mason Miller pitched effectively enough to keep the Cubs off the board entirely. San Diego’s 3-0 victory evened the series at 1-1 and forced a decisive Game 3 back at Wrigley Field — exactly the scenario Padres backers hoped for heading into the game.

The outcome underscored how close these two teams truly were in 2025, with the Cubs ultimately winning by the smallest margin possible in a short series.

Where is game 3 Cubs vs Padres?

Game 3 of the 2025 NL Wild Card Series was played at Wrigley Field, located at 1060 West Addison Street in Chicago, Illinois. This marked the first time since 1984 that the Padres and Cubs met in the National League playoffs, and the Cubs earned the right to host by finishing with the better regular season record. All three games of the series were contested on Chicago’s North Side, giving the Cubs a significant home-field advantage throughout the brief series.

Venue Details

Wrigley Field, baseball’s second-oldest major league stadium, opened in 1914 and has served as the Cubs’ home since 1916. With a capacity of 41,074, the Friendly Confines offered the Cubs a packed house for the decisive Game 3. The stadium’s famed marquee and ivy-covered walls created the backdrop for a pivotal postseason moment. Because the NL Wild Card Series format typically plays all games at one venue when one team is the designated home team throughout, there was no travel between ballparks during this particular series.

Related Playoff Schedule

Following their series victory over the Padres, the Cubs advanced to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Division Series. That next playoff round shifted the venue to American Family Field in Milwaukee, breaking the Cubs’ home-field streak from the Wild Card round. For Padres fans, the 2025 season ended with the Game 3 elimination at Wrigley Field — their final game of the campaign.

What is the Cubs vs Padres head-to-head record?

Across all regular season meetings since interleague play began in 1993, the Chicago Cubs hold a narrow edge over the San Diego Padres in the head-to-head matchup. In 166 total games, the Cubs have won 86 compared to the Padres’ 80 victories. The Padres averaged 4.1 runs per game against the Cubs over that span, while the Cubs posted a 4.25 runs-per-game average against San Diego — making this a matchup where both clubs have typically produced offensively.

Overall History Since 1993

The all-time picture shows a competitive but Cubs-leaning rivalry. While Chicago holds the overall advantage of six games, the margin is close enough that any given season can shift the narrative. The two clubs have split their postseason series wins historically, with each team having advanced once in their prior playoff encounters — a fact that made the 2025 matchup particularly compelling, as the winner would claim the series lead for the first time.

Home vs Away Splits

The 2025 season provided a clear illustration of how venue matters in this matchup. Across the regular season and playoffs combined, the Padres posted a 2-1 record in games played at Petco Park in San Diego but managed just a 2-4 record on the road at Wrigley Field. The Cubs, conversely, went 4-2 at home against the Padres and 0-1 in San Diego during the brief playoff window. That home dominance helped the Cubs close out the series when it mattered most.

Over the broader history, neither team has dominated on the other’s turf, making the 2025 home/away split somewhat anomalous. In a longer sample, the rivalry tends to produce competitive games regardless of venue.

What were the Cubs vs Padres last 5 games?

The most recent matchups between these clubs tell a story of a competitive rivalry in flux. In early April 2025, the Padres finished their regular season series against the Cubs with a 4-2 victory on April 16 at Petco Park — their second win in the final three regular season meetings. But that momentum didn’t translate smoothly into the postseason, where the Cubs claimed two of three at Wrigley Field to advance.

Recent Matchups Timeline

The table below tracks every game from the final regular season series between the clubs.

The pattern shows how the Padres recovered from a rough opening three-game set in Chicago to win three of their final four meetings against the Cubs in 2025.

Last 10 Games Overview

Looking at the final 10 meetings between these clubs including the postseason, the ledger was essentially even heading into the Wild Card Series. The regular season portion of those 10 games saw a 3-3 split, with the Padres winning the final two matchups of the regular season on April 15-16. But the Cubs won the games that counted most, taking two of three in the playoff series to finish 5-4 overall against the Padres across that final stretch.

Machado’s towering two-run blast in the fifth inning helped send the Cubs to a 3-0 loss at Wrigley Field and, in turn, forced a decisive Game 3.

— MLB.com

Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Tuesday in Game 1.

— ESPN

The Cubs advanced to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Division Series, carrying the momentum of their Game 3 clincher into the next round. Their series against the Padres demonstrated the fine margins in October baseball — two runs separated the two clubs across three games. For the Padres, the offseason arrived earlier than hoped, ending a campaign that showed promise but fell just short against a Cubs team that made the most of its opportunities at home.

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The Padres-Cubs timeline aligns with 2025 MLB buzz, including the Cubs’ opening clash against the Dodgers in the MLB Opening Day 2025 coverage.

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