Last Updated on October 1, 2025 11:52 pm by Alex Becker
The San Diego Padres remain in Chicago to face the Cubs at 5:00 PM ET on Thursday evening on ESPN. It’s Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series. Can the Padres win the game outright as money-line road underdogs? Keep reading for our Padres vs. Cubs betting prediction.
The best-of-3 series is tied 1-1.
Projected starting pitchers: Yu Darvish (SD) vs. Jameson Taillon (CHC)
The San Diego Padres went 90-72 straight up during the regular season this year. They are 8-2 straight up in their last 10 games. The Padres are 90-74 ATS this season.
The Chicago Cubs went 92-70 straight up in the regular season this year. They are 5-5 straight up in their last 10 games. The Cubs are 77-87 ATS this season.
Padres vs. Cubs Game Matchup and Betting Odds
911 San Diego Padres (-105) at 912 Chicago Cubs (-116); o/u 7.5
5:00 PM ET, Thursday, October 2, 2025
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
TV: ESPN
Padres vs. Cubs Public Betting Information
Our MLB Public Betting Information page indicates that 58% of public bettors are currently backing the Padres money line. Please note that these numbers are subject to change all the way up to game time, so be sure to check the link to ensure that you’re receiving the most up-to-date public betting data.
San Diego Padres DFS Spin
Padres third baseman Manny Machado drove in the bulk of his team’s runs in their 3-0 win over the Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. In that game, the 2013 Platinum Glove Award winner went 1 for 4 with a homer, 2 RBIs, and a run scored. Machado hit .275 with 27 homers, 95 RBIs, 14 steals, and an OPS of .795 in 615 regular-season at-bats this year. Manny Machado is batting .330 with an OPS of 1.052 when he’s ahead in the count this season, making him an intriguing DFS option on Thursday.
Chicago Cubs DFS Spin
Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki logged the team’s only extra-base hit in their 3-0 loss to the Padres on Wednesday in Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series. Hitting out of the #5 spot in the lineup, the Tokyo, Japan, native went 1 for 4 with a double. In 571 regular-season at-bats, Suzuki hit .245 with 32 homers, 103 RBIs, 5 steals, and an OPS of .804. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter is batting .308 with an OPS of 1.280 over his last 7 games. That fact makes Seiya Suzuki worth a look in most DFS formats on Thursday.
Padres vs. Cubs MLB Betting Trends
San Diego is 4-2 straight up in their last 6 games against Chicago.
San Diego is 15-8 straight up in their last 23 games overall.
Chicago is 5-7 straight up in their last 12 games overall.
Chicago is 20-27 straight up in postseason games since the start of the 2007 season.
Padres vs. Cubs Betting Prediction
I like San Diego here, mainly because of their starting pitcher, Yu Darvish. Darvish is a 39-year-old right-hander with 13 postseason starts under his belt. In those 13 starts spanning 71.2 innings, Darvish is 5-7 with a 3.77 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, a 4.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and a 7.7 K/9. On top of that, two of those postseason starts came at Wrigley Field, one as a member of the Cubs in 2020 and one as a member of the Dodgers in 2017. The point is that Yu Darvish should be able to draw on his playoff experience to pitch well enough for the Padres to win. The pick is San Diego -105 on the money line over Chicago at Bovada.lv.