Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Matthew Boyd. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Cubs have key advantage over Padres in NL wild-card series

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 9:58 AM ET

The National League wild-card round between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres begins on Tuesday, Sept. 30. The Cubs will send All-Star left-hander Matthew Boyd to the mound to battle the Padres' Nick Pivetta.

The Cubs don't have as much star power as the Padres, but they have the advantage of playing at home. Boyd and the rest of the Cubs' lineup have all performed well at Wrigley Field this season.

Matthew Boyd and Cubs' lineup shine at Wrigley Field

If the Cubs are to advance to the National League Division Series to play their rival, the Milwaukee Brewers, they must take care of business at home. That shouldn't be a problem for Chicago, which has posted a 50-31 record at The Friendly Confines in 2025.

Though Shota Imanaga would’ve been a good choice for Cubs manager Craig Counsell to throw in Game 1, Boyd has performed better than Imanaga at home, with a 4.04 ERA in 71.1 innings. According to Marquee Sports Network, Boyd is 12-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 89.2 innings and 10 quality starts in 15 starts at Wrigley.

Matthew Boyd has been incredible at Wrigley Field this season pic.twitter.com/nzCbrR9IiN
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 29, 2025

The lineup has also done its job while playing at home, with Pete Crow-Armstrong (.280/.844 OPS), Michael Busch (.262/.856 OPS), Nico Hoerner (.294/.735 OPS) and Ian Happ (.247/.800 OPS) all producing. Crow-Armstrong has the second-most home runs on the team at Wrigley with 15, while Seyia Suzuki leads with 18 and 61 RBI.

The bullpen must do its part for Cubs to win

The biggest concern for the Cubs will be if the bullpen can do its part by containing a lethal Padres lineup.

Daniel Palencia has been Chicago's best reliever this season, recording 22 saves in 52.2 innings, while the bullpen as a whole has converted 44 saves in 64 save opportunities. If the Cubs' bullpen is serviceable, they have a good shot at advancing to the NLDS for the first time since 2017.

Meanwhile, San Diego has one of the best bullpens in baseball, and getting to its starters early will be key, so the Cubs don’t have to face the likes of Mason Miller or Robert Suarez with the game on the line.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. You can find my other work on Southside Showdown from FanSided and at Chicitysports where I cover all Chicago sports. When not watching sports, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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