Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres Prediction & Picks - MLB

Prediction published on 10/1/25, 11:56 AM  by Carlos Zabala | Modified on 10/1/25 at 6:05 PM in MLB Picks

A 424-foot home run by Suzuki and a back-to-back home run by Carson Kelly turned the score in favor of the Cubs in the first game of the series against the Padres. The Cubs won the Wild Card Series opener 3-1 with a perfect bullpen performance. Daniel Palencia pitched in the fifth inning and earned the W; Pomeranz and Kittredge each recorded a hold, and Keller earned his first save of the season. None of the four pitchers who came out of the Cubs' bullpen allowed even a single hit.

This revives the specter of the Padres' hitting disappearing in the playoffs, just as it did in 2024. Between Tatis, Arraez, and Machado, they went 0-for-11 with three strikeouts among the top three in the lineup; only Bogaerts had a pair of clutch hits in the loss.

Ultimately, it was a close game, where the small things went in the Cubs' favor. Swanson, who went 1-for-3, contributed an over-the-shoulder catch at shortstop to prevent the Padres from scoring runs, a moment that proved key to Chicago's victory.