Cubs vs. Padres live score, updates, highlights from NL Wild Card Game 3 in 2025 MLB playoffs

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The San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs will play a pivotal, winner-take-all Game 3 in the NL Wild Card Series on Thursday, October 2. The series is tied at one game apiece, with the Cubs winning the opener and the Padres taking Game 2.

San Diego will be putting the ball in Yu Darvish's hands, and he will face his former team. He was with Chicago from 2018-2020, but has been with the Padres since 2021. Darvish tallied a 5-5 record over 15 regular-season starts with a 5.38 ERA. Manager Mike Shildt showed in Game 2 that he has no problem pulling his starter early, as Dylan Cease only went 3.2 innings and allowed no runs with three hits, one walk and five strikeouts. 

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Chicago will start veteran pitcher Jameson Taillon. He started 23 for the Cubs during the regular season and had an 11-7 record with a 3.68 ERA. This will be the second playoff start of Taillon's career. In his lone playoff start, he pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits. With it being Game 3, Chicago will likely have its whole bullpen ready to go if Taillon struggles on Thursday. 

The Sporting News is tracking live updates and highlights from Padres vs. Cubs in Game 3 of the 2025 National League Wild Card Series. 

STREAM: Watch Cubs vs. Padres Game 3 live in ESPN app

Cubs vs. Padres score

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Cubs vs. Padres live updates, highlights from NL Wild Card Game 3

All times Eastern.

7:25 p.m. — Nico Hoerner narrowly misses a home run of his own and settles for a double off the ivy. Suarez is coming out of the game for Adrian Morejon, but it could be too little, too late for the Padres.

Cubs 3, Padres 0

7:24 p.m. HOME RUN — Michael Busch takes Suarez deep for a massive insurance run! The Cubs are up 3-0.

MICHAEL BUSCH.

GOODBYE! #POSTSEASON pic.twitter.com/qMIRao3NQW

— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2025

7:20 p.m. — Jake Cronenworth flies out, and the Padres are down to their final six outs. 

7:19 p.m. — Now it's Nico Hoerner making a terrific defensive play! He leaps to snag a line drive from pinch-hitter Jose Iglesias for the second out. 

NICO HOERNER'S TURN ⭐️#POSTSEASON pic.twitter.com/d0tW4GNWvB

— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2025

7:17 p.m. — Bogaerts steals second, upheld upon review, so the Padres have a runner in scoring position here in the seventh.

7:15 p.m. — Pomeranz gets O'Hearn to fly out to center for the first out.

7:10 p.m. — Bogaerts leads off the seventh with a single as Drew Pomeranz enters the game for the Cubs.

End of sixth inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0

7:05 p.m. — Suarez gets Swanson and Shaw to strike out, and the Padres again hold the Cubs right where they are. Can San Diego's offense take advantage?

7:00 p.m. — Robert Suarez is in for San Diego, and back-to-back singles from Kelly and Crow-Armstrong have the Cubs threatening with one out. 

6:53 p.m. — Swanson is putting on a clinic, as he initiates an inning-ending double play. The Cubs are now nine outs away.

6:50 p.m. — What a play by Swanson to get Arraez, who misses a chance to give the Padres a leadoff runner for the second time today.

DANSBY SWANSON IS PUTTING ON A CLINIC!

He's been torturing Luis Arraez today pic.twitter.com/8EFLWIrIFY

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 2, 2025

End of fifth inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0

6:47 p.m. — Peralta works out of trouble as Tucker grounds out. That's the first time Tucker has been retired today. The Padres hold again but, down to their 12 final outs, need to start scoring runs.

6:44 p.m. — Ian Happ doubles into the gap, so Peralta is fortunate Hoerner grounded into the double play.

6:42 p.m. — Nico Hoerner erases Michael Busch with a double play.

6:39 p.m. — Wandy Peralta is in for King, who isn't asked to go more than one inning.

6:37 p.m. — Palencia gets Tatis to fly out and ends the threat, keeping the Padres scoreless through five.

6:35 p.m. — Freddy Fermin laces a two-out double down the left field line, but it's not enough for Sheets to score. The Padres have runners on second and third with Tatis coming to the plate. Palencia needs one more out.

6:32 p.m. — Thielbar picks up his second strikeout of the inning, and Counsell is bringing in Daniel Palencia just as he planned.

6:30 p.m. — Thielbar gives up a one-out single to Gavin Sheets.

6:28 p.m. — Craig Counsell is going to his bullpen early despite Taillon's dominance. Caleb Thielbar is entering the game with three left-handed hitters coming to the plate.

End of fourth inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0

6:26 p.m. — King strikes out three consecutive Cubs to work around Kelly's leadoff hit. The Padres will be looking to King to provide some length after heavy bullpen usage in Game 2.

6:19 p.m. — Michael King is in the game for Estrada, and Carson Kelly leads off the bottom of the first with a single in front of Tatis. 

6:15 p.m. — Taillon works around the trouble as Xander Bogaerts harmlessly pops out to Swanson. He's through four scoreless.

6:13 p.m. — San Diego has its first runner in scoring position as Jackson Merrill doubles to right with two outs.

6:09 p.m. — An interesting moment as Swanson drops a line drive by Luis Arraez but still gets the out as Arraez appeared to slow down while running to first. The Padres miss a chance to get their second baserunner of the game.

End of third inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0

6:05 p.m. — Estrada gets Suzuki to strike out, working around the two-out single from Tucker.

6:03 p.m. — Here's what Cubs fans want to see: a 2-for-2 day for Kyle Tucker, who laces a two-out single off Estrada in the third.

5:58 p.m. — Taillon puts together a brilliant third inning, striking out Tatis to close out a 1-2-3 frame. The single from O'Hearn that was nearly snagged by Hoerner remains the only blemish on Taillon today.

End of second inning: Cubs 2, Padres 0

5:52 p.m. — Estrada gets Busch to ground into a double play, and that's about the best the Padres could've hoped for at this point. The Cubs lead 2-0, but San Diego remains within striking distance.

The @Padres limit the damage with a timely double play! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/YMwAMQOOxA

— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2025

5:47 p.m. — Estrada strikes out Matt Shaw, so the Padres finally get the first out they desperately needed.

Cubs 2, Padres 0

5:46 p.m. RBI WALK — Estrada walks Dansby Swanson, and the Cubs now have a 2-run lead.

Cubs 1, Padres 0

5:40 p.m. RBI SINGLE — Crow-Armstrong keeps the line moving and dunks one in for an RBI single! The bases remain loaded with no one out. Yu Darvish is coming out of this game for Jeremiah Estrada.

PCA!

The @Cubs score first in Game 3! pic.twitter.com/1zeDFppRbf

— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2025

5:37 p.m. — Now Darvish hits Kelly to loaded the bases with nobody out. PCA has a chance to put his second half struggles behind him here.

5:35 p.m. — Here come the Cubs: Kyle Tucker leads off the second inning with a single, and Seiya Suzuki follows him up with a double down the left field line. Chicago has runners on second and third with Carson Kelly coming to the plate.

Seiya Suzuki doubles off Yu Darvish and the Cubs are all set up pic.twitter.com/HH8wwjWrDf

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 2, 2025

5:31 p.m. — Taillon fools Sheets and picks up his second strikeout of the day to end the inning.

5:29 p.m. — Taillon gets the first two outs before Ryan O'Hearn lines a ball off Nico Hoerner's glove for a single. Gavin Sheets will step to the plate with two outs and O'Hearn at first.

End of first inning: Padres 0, Cubs 0

5:22 p.m. — Nico Hoerner is called safe on a stolen base attempt, but the Padres are challenging the call and appear to be right. They're leaving the field...and they are correct. Freddy Fermin gets Hoerner to end a scoreless first inning.

5:20 p.m. — Ian Happ goes down on strikes for the second out. Shadows are going to be a major factor early in this game, though this one should finish under the lights after starting two hours later than the first two games in this series. 

5:18 p.m. — Nico Hoerner's speed prevents a double play, but he grounds into the first out of the inning.

5:17 p.m. — Michael Busch laces a leadoff single off Yu Darvish to fire up an already raucous Wrigley Field crowd.

5:14 p.m. — Crow-Armstrong makes a diving grab to end the inning! Taillon works a 1-2-3 first inning. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong. Electric. pic.twitter.com/lJSVHGr6xk

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 2, 2025

5:12 p.m. — The wind is blowing out and pushes Luis Arraez's fly ball to the warning track, but it lands harmlessly in the glove of Pete Crow-Armstrong. Here comes Manny Machado with two outs.

5:11 p.m. — Jameson Taillon starts his day with a strikeout of Fernando Tatis Jr. 

5:04 p.m. — First pitch is minutes away. Let's have some fun.

4:56 p.m. — No surprises for the Cubs as they look for their first postseason series win since 2017.

October baseball at the Friendly Confines! pic.twitter.com/qmGbXxmfcs

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 1, 2025

4:45 p.m. — Here's who the Padres are running out for Game 3:

Let’s play three. pic.twitter.com/sZ8OTfNMnI

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) October 2, 2025

Where to watch Cubs vs. Padres today

Padres vs. Cubs start time

• Date: Thursday, October 2
• Time: 5 p.m. ET

Game 3 of the Padres and Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series will begin at 5 p.m. ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. 

What channel is Padres vs. Cubs on today?

• TV channel: ESPN
• Stream: ESPN app, Fubo

San Diego vs. Chicago in the NL Wild Card round will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Kevin Brown will handle the play-by-play, while Jessica Mendoza and Ben McDonald will be on hand as the analysts on the broadcast. 

You can also stream the MLB Wild Card games live with the new ESPN app, or on Fubo. 

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