Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres Picks and Prediction for Wednesday September 30 2026
The Chicago Cubs visit the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, for Game 2 of their National League Wild Card Series. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET with coverage on Peacock and NBCSN. Chicago enters at 89-73 overall and 43-38 on the road, while San Diego finished 91-71 overall and an outstanding 51-30 at home. The Padres lead the best-of-three series 1-0 after shutting out the Cubs 8-0 in Tuesday's opener. Chicago now faces elimination, while San Diego can advance with another victory at Petco Park. DraftKings has the Padres as -145 moneyline favorites, with Chicago at +120. San Diego is -1.5 (+151) on the run line, while Chicago is +1.5 (-184). The total is set at 7 runs, with the Over priced at -123 and the Under at +102. Be sure to check out our free MLB picks for more MLB predictions throughout the postseason.
Starting Pitchers
Chicago's starting pitcher remains officially listed as undecided, while San Diego is scheduled to start Nick Pivetta. The supplied game information does not include Pivetta's 2026 win-loss record, ERA, WHIP, innings pitched, hits, strikeouts, walks or home runs allowed, so those numbers won't be assumed. Chicago's uncertainty on the mound is an important consideration after using five pitchers in Game 1. San Diego, meanwhile, received seven innings from Michael King in the opener and needed only Yuki Matsui and Joe Musgrove to cover the final two innings. That left the Padres with a relatively manageable pitching workload entering Game 2.
Chicago Needs Its Offense to Reappear
Chicago finished the regular season 89-73 and went 43-38 away from Wrigley Field. The Cubs were one of the stronger offensive teams in the National League during the regular season, but none of that production carried into Game 1. Chicago was held scoreless on only three hits in an 8-0 defeat and now needs a road victory to extend its season.
The Cubs hit .251 during the regular season while scoring 850 runs on 1,398 hits. Chicago hit 220 home runs and finished with an excellent .339 on-base percentage and .428 slugging percentage. The pitching staff recorded a 4.12 ERA and 1.26 WHIP while holding opposing hitters to a .243 batting average. Chicago's pitchers recorded 1,260 strikeouts against 500 walks.
Those offensive numbers make Tuesday's performance particularly surprising. Chicago collected only three hits and four walks while striking out 11 times. The Cubs went just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and failed to record an extra-base hit or home run. They have now been shut out twice in their last four games and have scored three runs or fewer in four of their last five. Chicago's season-long offense remains dangerous, but its recent production creates legitimate concern entering an elimination game.
San Diego Looks to Finish the Series
San Diego finished 91-71 and established Petco Park as one of its biggest advantages, going 51-30 at home. The Padres have now won four of their last five games and three straight overall, scoring 27 runs during that three-game winning streak. Tuesday's 8-0 victory was the most complete performance of the stretch.
The Padres hit .244 during the regular season with 722 runs, 1,314 hits and 183 home runs. They finished with a .319 on-base percentage and .398 slugging percentage. San Diego's pitching staff posted a 3.99 ERA and 1.29 WHIP while limiting opponents to a .242 batting average. The staff struck out 1,315 hitters against 554 walks.
San Diego's offense was excellent in Game 1, producing 13 hits, three home runs and eight runs. The Padres scored twice in the first inning and continued adding to their advantage in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh. They went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left only four runners on base. Perhaps even more important for Game 2, San Diego needed only three pitchers while Chicago had to use five. The Padres enter Wednesday with momentum, home-field advantage and the more settled pitching situation.
Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres Picks and Prediction
Pick: San Diego Padres Moneyline (-145)
San Diego -145 is the side pick. Chicago's season-long offensive statistics are actually better in several categories, so bettors shouldn't assume Tuesday's 8-0 result means there is a massive talent difference between these teams. The matchup circumstances still favor San Diego. The Padres went 51-30 at home, have won three consecutive games and are sending a confirmed starter to the mound while Chicago's Game 2 starter remains undecided. San Diego also needed only three pitchers Tuesday, compared with five for Chicago. The Cubs have now scored three runs or fewer in four of their last five games and were held to three hits in the opener. With the opportunity to close the series at Petco Park, San Diego is worth backing on the moneyline rather than laying 1.5 runs.
Pick: Under 7 (+102)
The Under 7 is the total pick despite Game 1 finishing with eight runs. All eight were scored by San Diego, while Chicago generated only three hits and never crossed the plate. The Cubs have now been shut out twice in four games and have scored only 11 total runs over their last five contests. San Diego's offense has been hot, but expecting another eight-run performance against an opponent facing elimination is aggressive. The Padres also allowed just three hits Tuesday and should have plenty of pitching flexibility after using only three arms. A game in the 4-2 or 3-2 range fits the recent offensive profile of Chicago while still allowing San Diego to control the matchup. The total landing exactly on seven also gives us push protection. Take the plus-money Under.
Final Picks: San Diego Padres ML (-145) and Under 7 (+102)