Cubs vs. Padres: Game 2 prediction, lineup, odds, injuries, and picks

Chicago Cubs' home field advantage helped them on Tuesday night as they edged out the San Diego Padres 3-1 in a low event game. Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back to back home runs in the fifth inning and a strong bullpen effort behind starter Matthew Boyd have the Cubs the win. San Diego faces elimination in Game 2.

Cubs vs. Padres Game 2 NLWS: Betting Odds and Weather

Time: 3:08 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field

Money Line: Cubs -113, Padres -106

Total Runs: Over/Under is 6.5 runs

Weather: Mostly Clear, 71 degrees F, 0% precipitation, Wind 10 mph In

Cubs vs. Padres Game 2 NLWS: Injuries and Lineups

Injuries

Cubs

Miguel Amaya: 10 Day IL (Ankle),
Ryan Brasier: 15 Day IL (Groin),
Cade Horton: 15 Day IL (Ribs),
Justin Steele: 60 Day IL (Elbow),
Owen Caissie: 7 Day IL (Concussion)

Padres

Ramon Laureano: 10 Day IL (Finger),
Nestor Cortes: 15 Day IL (Elbow),
Jason Adam: 15 Day IL (Quadricep),
Jhony Brito: 60 Day IL (Forearm),
Joe Musgrove: 60 Day IL (Elbow)

Expected Lineups

Cubs

1B M. Busch L
2B Nico Hoerner R
LF Ian Happ S
DH Kyle Tucker L
RF Seiya Suzuki R
C Carson Kelly R
CF P. Crow-Armstrong L
SS D. Swanson R
3B Matt Shaw R

Padres

RF F. Tatis R
1B Luis Arraez L
3B M. Machado R
CF J. Merrill L
SS X. Bogaerts R
DH Ryan O'Hearn L
LF Gavin Sheets L
2B J. Cronenworth L
C F. Fermin R

Cubs vs. Padres Game 2 NLWS: Expert Picks and Prediction

The Cubs will use an opener-starter combination in Game 2 to counter the threat of batters like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado at the top of the Padres order. Andrew Kittredge will open in the first innings before starter Shota Imanaga, 9-8, 3.73 ERA regular season record, will take over. Opposing them will be Padres' Dylan Cease who went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in the regular season.

The Padres lineup heading into the game have a high .249 collective batting average in the last ten games despite their loss. Their collective ERA of 2.70 is better than the Cubs' 3.41 ERA in their last ten stretch. Suzuki has now hit six homers in the same spread of games while on the other side Ryan O'Hearn is batting 16-for-37 with 9 RBIs.

Prediction: Cubs 5, Padres 4

Picks: Cubs -113, Over 6.5 runs

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy

Cubs vs. Padres: Game 2 prediction, lineup, odds, injuries, and picks - October 01, 2025| NL Wild Card Series

Cubs vs. Padres Game 2 NLWS: Betting Odds and Weather

Cubs vs. Padres Game 2 NLWS: Injuries and Lineups

Injuries

Cubs

Padres

Expected Lineups

Cubs

Padres

Cubs vs. Padres Game 2 NLWS: Expert Picks and Prediction