The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres begin the National League wild card series at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, Sept. 30, with both teams hoping to grab a crucial lead in the best-of-three set.

The Cubs (92-70) won the NL’s top wild card spot to earn home-field advantage against the Padres (90-72), who are making consecutive postseason appearances for just the second time in franchise history. The two teams haven’t met since April, splitting the six matchups early in the season.

‘What’s really cool is through the ups and downs of the season, our belief has not wavered, our belief of where we stand in the overall calculus in this league and whatnot and who we are,’ Cubs Game 1 starter Matthew Boyd told reporters.

Said Padres third baseman Manny Machado: ‘We’ll try to reach our goal, which is to bring the championship to the city of San Diego. We have a group of guys that can do it, and now we’ve just got to go out there and do it.’

Follow for live updates on Tuesday:

What time is Cubs vs Padres game?

First pitch is scheduled for 3:08 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field.

Cubs vs Padres TV channel, live stream

Tuesday’s game is airing on ABC and can be streamed with Fubo.

Watch Cubs vs. Padres in MLB playoffs

Cubs v. Padres 2025 head-to-head record

The Cubs and Padres went 3-3 against one another this year. The teams played only two series head-to-head this season, with the Cubs winning the first series 2-1 and the Padres winning the next series 2-1 just a week later.

Across those six games, both teams scored exactly 25 runs. This could be as evenly matched a playoff series as we’ll see all year.

Padres vs. Cubs pitching matchup

Padres: Nick Pivetta (13-5, 2.87 ERA)

Pivetta’s postseason experience is limited to three games with the 2021 Red Sox, where he earned a solid 2.63 ERA.

Pivetta made two starts against the Cubs back in April, with one great start and another troubling start. In his first start which took place at Wrigley Field, Pivetta only lasted three innings, surrendering three earned runs on six hits. In his next start though, Pivetta played well in front of his home crowd, tossing six innings of one-run ball, only allowing four hits and a walk, while striking out six.

Cubs: Matthew Boyd (14-8, 3.21 ERA)

Boyd has struggled recently, posting an ERA over 5 over his last 11 starts. It was a far cry from the 2.20 ERA we saw from him in the first half of the season as Boyd earned his first All-Star bid.

That said, Boyd has a lot of factors going his way. Most notably, he was spectacular in the postseason for Cleveland a season ago, posting a 0.77 ERA across three games. He played a pivotal role in helping Cleveland reach the ALCS. Furthermore, Boyd pitched very well against the Padres earlier this year, surrendering only two runs across 11.1 innings in two starts against the Friars this year.

Padres lineup today

Fernando Tatis Jr. (R) RF
Luis Arraez (L) 1B
Manny Machado (R) 3B
Jackson Merrill (L) CF
Xander Bogaerts (R) SS
Ryan O’Hearn (L) DH
Gavin Sheets (L) LF
Jake Cronenworth (L) 2B
Freddy Fermin (R) C

Cubs lineup today

Michael Busch (L) 1B
Nico Hoerner (R) 2B
Ian Happ (S) LF
Kyle Tucker (L) DH
Seiya Suzuki (R) RF
Carson Kelly (R) C
Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF
Dansby Swanson (R) SS
Matt Shaw (R) 3B

Cubs vs Padres gambling odds

Cubs vs Padres predictions

USA TODAY Sports’ MLB experts are split on the best-of-three wild card series between Chicago and San Diego:

Bob Nightengale: Cubs in 3
Gabe Lacques: Padres in 2
Jesse Yomtov: Padres in 2

MLB playoff bracket 2025

The Dallas Wings guard is coming off her rookie season, in which she played in all 36 of 44 game missing time for injury and illness. She was the seventh UConn player to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, receiving 70 out of 72 first-place votes.

Although the Wings finished the season with a 10-30 record and missed the playoffs, Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. She led all WNBA rookies with a total of 692 points, third in the record books after Caitlin Clark (769) and Seimone Augustus (744).

‘The easiest thing to do in a game is shoot the basketball every single time you touch it, especially when you’re the best player on the court. And Paige Bueckers is the best player on the court 99.99% of the time because she’s so gifted offensively, defensively—she disrupts so much. The hardest thing to do is pass the ball. Paige does it, and that’s what sets her apart,’ Diana Taurasi wrote about Bueckers for Time.

Here are other notable athletes that have made the Time 100 Next list:

Taylor Fritz

American Taylor Fritz comes from a family of professional tennis players who are actively involved in shaping his career. He has expressed he has no surface preference and in 2016 was named the ATP Newcomer of the Year. His highest career ranking was No. 4 in 2025, and he is currently ranked No. 5, after going 13-2 run on grass and winning titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourn and advancing to the Wimbledon semifinals.

‘He’s an incredible tennis player (currently in the global top five after winning two ATP Tour titles this year), which makes it easy to talk about all the great things he’s capable of on the court—but I also know that he’s an even better person off of it,’ Kygo, a music producer, DJ, and entrepreneur wrote for Time.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

India’s cricket sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal is a left-handed opening batter and a right-arm bowler. He has followed in the footsteps of legendary cricketers like Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli. Jaiswal pursued his cricket dream by moving from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai at the age of 12. During this time, he slept in tents and sold pani puri to earn money. A local coach eventually took him under his wing, marking the beginning of his cricket career. Jaiswal has participated in multiple cricket formats and has become an important contributor for India on the international stage.

‘Jaiswal is the first Indian player in history to score 1,000 runs in test cricket—the most prominent form of the game on the international level — in a calendar year before turning 23. As fans attest, he’s making his mark as the future of the game,’ Sean Gregory wrote for Time.

Jeeno Thitikul

Jeeno Thitikul, a native of Thailand and a rising star on the LPGA Tour, was introduced to golf by her father and quickly developed a passion for the sport. She turned professional in 2020 and earned her LPGA Tour membership in 2022. Throughout her career, she has achieved five victories on the LPGA Tour, including the 2022 JTBC Classic, the 2024 Dow Championship and the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open.

‘Most professional golfers are really good at one thing. For some, it’s their long game or iron shot, for others, it’s putting or chipping. But for Jeeno Thitikul, it’s everything. She’s really good at all parts of the game, all throughout the bag. She’s so consistent that even on her off days, she’s not that far off at all,’ Ko, a professional golfer and Olympic gold medalist wrote for Time.

Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal joined FC Barcelona at a young age and has advanced through the ranks thanks to his versatility as a player. He is adept at creating chances as a striker and an attacking midfielder on the right wing. In 2023, he made his debut for the first team at 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, becoming the youngest player ever to represent Barcelona. During the 2023/24 season, Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 21 assists, setting the record as the youngest forward to make 100 appearances and becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in El Clásico.

‘Spanish soccer phenom Lamine Yamal, 18, holds a list of ‘youngest’ records longer than any road to Barcelona: youngest goal scorer in the men’s European championships; youngest ever to win a major international trophy (at Euro 2024, beating Pelé by 248 days); youngest goal scorer ever and assist man this century in the history of La Liga, Spain’s top pro level; and more,’ Sean Gregory wrote for Time.

Week 5 caused significant shifts in the College Football Playoff picture.
Oregon and Alabama moved into the top four after defeating Penn State and Georgia, respectively.
Mississippi entered the playoff forecast following its win over LSU and Florida State’s loss to Virginia.

The schedule for Week 5 was always going to cause chaos in the College Football Playoff picture. Three games featuring six teams ranked among the top 16 will tend to do that. However, the changes in this week’s bowl projection went beyond just those three matchups.

No. 2 Penn State and No. 3 Georgia both fell at home, moving both teams out of positions in the top four. Rising into those spots were the respective teams that beat them, Oregon and Alabama. The Crimson Tide, now forecasted as the SEC champion, are one of three teams to join field this week.

PATH TO PLAYOFF: Sign up for our college football newsletter

Another beneficiary weekend’s action was Mississippi. First, the Rebels took care of business against LSU. That win came after Florida State’s shocking loss to Virginia that opened the door for Ole Miss to join the playoff. The Seminoles fell out but do have an opportunity to move back in Week 6 when they host Miami.

Another change came with the promotion of Iowa State to Big 12 champion after the Cyclones handled Arizona at home. It’s a close consideration between Matt Campbell’s team and Texas Tech, the team it replaced, and the debate may not get decided until the conference championship game with the schools not playing the regular season.

Note: Legacy Pac-12 schools in other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl agreements through the 2025 season.

The Dallas Wings guard is coming off her rookie season, in which she played in all 36 of 44 game missing time for injury and illness. She was the seventh UConn player to win the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, receiving 70 out of 72 first-place votes.

Although the Wings finished the season with a 10-30 record and missed the playoffs, Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. She led all WNBA rookies with a total of 692 points, third in the record books after Caitlin Clark (769) and Seimone Augustus (744).

‘The easiest thing to do in a game is shoot the basketball every single time you touch it, especially when you’re the best player on the court. And Paige Bueckers is the best player on the court 99.99% of the time because she’s so gifted offensively, defensively—she disrupts so much. The hardest thing to do is pass the ball. Paige does it, and that’s what sets her apart,’ Diana Taurasi wrote about Bueckers for Time.

Here are other notable athletes that have made the Time 100 Next list:

Taylor Fritz

American Taylor Fritz comes from a family of professional tennis players who are actively involved in shaping his career. He has expressed he has no surface preference and in 2016 was named the ATP Newcomer of the Year. His highest career ranking was No. 4 in 2025, and he is currently ranked No. 5, after going 13-2 run on grass and winning titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourn and advancing to the Wimbledon semifinals.

‘He’s an incredible tennis player (currently in the global top five after winning two ATP Tour titles this year), which makes it easy to talk about all the great things he’s capable of on the court—but I also know that he’s an even better person off of it,’ Kygo, a music producer, DJ, and entrepreneur wrote for Time.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

India’s cricket sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal is a left-handed opening batter and a right-arm bowler. He has followed in the footsteps of legendary cricketers like Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli. Jaiswal pursued his cricket dream by moving from Uttar Pradesh to Mumbai at the age of 12. During this time, he slept in tents and sold pani puri to earn money. A local coach eventually took him under his wing, marking the beginning of his cricket career. Jaiswal has participated in multiple cricket formats and has become an important contributor for India on the international stage.

‘Jaiswal is the first Indian player in history to score 1,000 runs in test cricket—the most prominent form of the game on the international level — in a calendar year before turning 23. As fans attest, he’s making his mark as the future of the game,’ Sean Gregory wrote for Time.

Jeeno Thitikul

Jeeno Thitikul, a native of Thailand and a rising star on the LPGA Tour, was introduced to golf by her father and quickly developed a passion for the sport. She turned professional in 2020 and earned her LPGA Tour membership in 2022. Throughout her career, she has achieved five victories on the LPGA Tour, including the 2022 JTBC Classic, the 2024 Dow Championship and the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open.

‘Most professional golfers are really good at one thing. For some, it’s their long game or iron shot, for others, it’s putting or chipping. But for Jeeno Thitikul, it’s everything. She’s really good at all parts of the game, all throughout the bag. She’s so consistent that even on her off days, she’s not that far off at all,’ Ko, a professional golfer and Olympic gold medalist wrote for Time.

Lamine Yamal

Lamine Yamal joined FC Barcelona at a young age and has advanced through the ranks thanks to his versatility as a player. He is adept at creating chances as a striker and an attacking midfielder on the right wing. In 2023, he made his debut for the first team at 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days old, becoming the youngest player ever to represent Barcelona. During the 2023/24 season, Yamal scored 18 goals and provided 21 assists, setting the record as the youngest forward to make 100 appearances and becoming the youngest ever goal scorer in El Clásico.

‘Spanish soccer phenom Lamine Yamal, 18, holds a list of ‘youngest’ records longer than any road to Barcelona: youngest goal scorer in the men’s European championships; youngest ever to win a major international trophy (at Euro 2024, beating Pelé by 248 days); youngest goal scorer ever and assist man this century in the history of La Liga, Spain’s top pro level; and more,’ Sean Gregory wrote for Time.

Reds reached playoffs for first time in a full season since 2013.
Ace Hunter Greene takes the mound to begin best-of-three series at Dodger Stadium.
Cincinnati is in the postseason despite an 83-79 record.

LOS ANGELES — The Cincinnati Reds know what you’re thinking of them.

They don’t belong on this stage, winning the third-fewest games, 83, of any team to ever make the postseason.

They have been a losing team for the past two months, going 25-26 over their last 51 games.

They don’t have a player hitting above .270, a pitcher winning 15 games, a 25-homer hitter or a 200-strikeout pitcher, making them the first team not to have any of those players and still reach the postseason, according to OptaSTATS.

But if you’re expecting them to apologize, if you think they’re scared to be on this stage or if you think they feel inferior to the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers, well, you’ve got the wrong team.

“A lot of people didn’t think we’d be here, but we know we belong,’ Reds pitcher Nick Martinez tells USA TODAY Sports, “there’s no doubt in our mind. We’re going to continue to play our style, and we’re going to be dangerous.’

WILD CARD SERIES: Predictions for MLB playoffs

The way the Reds see it, they threw one heck of a party Sunday when they clinched the final wild card berth when the New York Mets lost, continued the party on a raucous flight to Los Angeles, and after 48 or 72 hours in Los Angeles, they plan to continue to pick up the party where they left off.

“We’re just delaying our party for a few days,’ Reds reliever Brent Suter says, “then we plan to go back at it.’

This is not bragging and they’re far from cocky considering they’re playing the defending World Series champions on their home turf at Dodger Stadium, but they also want to remind everyone that they can play with anyone.

Considering they haven’t been to the playoffs in a full season since 2013 and haven’t won a postseason game at home since 1995, this is really for the fans.

“People back home are going crazy,’ said Suter, 37. “This means so much to everyone.’

Really, it may mean more to Suter than anyone in the Reds’ clubhouse. He grew up in Cincinnati. He was married in Cincinnati. His kids were born was Cincinnati. He lives full-time in Cincinnati.

And undoubtedly, no one had more fun partying Sunday when they clinched their playoff berth.

There was Suter wildly dancing across the room with his teammates watching. There was Suter doing an impersonation of Reds manager Terry Francona. There was Suter partying all night long. And there were his teammates still raving about Suter’s dance moves a day later.

“Normally this time of year you get a lot of texts,’ Francona says, “but I believe I’ve gotten more texts about him dancing than I have about, like, ‘Hey, way to go.’ He is unbelievable. He is more than worth his weight in what he does in that clubhouse. It’s real. He’s real. He’s phenomenal. I think he’s a phenomenon.’

Suter laughs, usually just breaking out his dance moves at parties and weddings.

Says Suter: “My friends are calling it ‘The Suter.’ They’re sending me videos of their kids doing it.’

Suter laughs but turns serious, letting you know just what it means to finally be on a playoff team for Cincinnati.

“As a hometown guy playing for this team and going to the postseason and celebrating and popping bottles,’ Suter said, “I was just pinching myself, and saying, ‘Don’t wake up. This is a dream. Don’t wake up.’ It was so fun, so close, just bear hugs to every single person in this organization. It was just an amazing couple of hours of emotional joy.

“Every time you celebrate like that, it makes all your ride worth it. All of the struggles seem like nothing. We as a group just came together, and said, ‘We’re not going away. We’re not going away quietly in the night.’ We kept fighting and fighting and kept picking each other up, and kept believing.

“Man, I’m so grateful.’

The Reds realize they are massive underdogs in this series, but they don’t care. They actually giggle at the fact that the last time they faced Dodgers’ Game 1 starter Blake Snell, he threw a no-hitter against them while with the Giants in August 2024. They know they can’t play any worse than when they faced the Dodgers a month ago at Dodger Stadium, getting swept by a combined score of 18-4.

The way they see it, they did their own rope-a-dope, perhaps getting the Dodgers overconfident.

“We know they’re a good team,’ Suter says. “They play the game right. They’ve got a great tradition here. But we also know what an opportunity we have to come in here and play the defending World Series champs.

“Who knows what could happen? They took it to us a month ago. They beat us in every facet of the game. Now, we just want to return the favor here when it matters the most.

“It’s not too much to ask, is it?

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

The Miami Dolphins lost a big fish on Monday night.

In the midst of their first win of the season, the Dolphins felt a major loss on offense – losing star receiver Tyreek Hill potentially for this season and beyond.

The All-Pro suffered what was a gruesome-looking knee injury, which was later revealed to be a dislocated knee. Unfortunately for Hill and the Dolphins, there was more damage beneath the surface. Hill also suffered multiple torn ligaments, including the ACL, according to ESPN. He will undergo surgery on Tuesday.

Hill was quickly carted off the field in the third quarter and appeared to be in good spirits. It figures to be a long road ahead for the 31-year-old, who had been fairly durable to this point in his career – playing in 145 games over 10 seasons.

Fresh off their ‘Monday Night Football’ win over the New York Jets, Miami is left searching for answers going forward. Here’s a look at the Dolphins’ depth chart with Hill sidelined.

Dolphins WR depth chart

Losing Hill atop the depth chart is undoubtedly a big blow to Miami’s depth chart. Here’s what remains after his injury:

Jaylen Waddle
Malik Washington
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Dee Eskridge
Tahj Washington

This is officially Waddle’s receiver room now, but it’s not something the fifth-year player hasn’t experienced before. Hill wasn’t acquired until the 2022 season, meaning Waddle played his rookie year without the other half of what had become a formidable duo.

Waddle posted career-highs in targets (140) and receptions (104) before Hill’s arrival, finishing with 1,015 yards and seven total touchdowns in his rookie season. He is in line for an expanded role in this offense.

It’s unclear whether Washington slides into the Hill role, but he has been on the field plenty in the young season. The second-year receiver is playing more of a gadget role for McDaniel’s team and is on pace to shatter his rookie year totals. Washington has eight catches, but has already logged eight carries for 60 yards through four games.

Westbrook-Ikhine doesn’t fit the speed profile that Hill provided, meaning his insertion into a bigger role could signal somewhat of a philosophy change. The former Tennessee Titans receiver makes his living as a blocker, which would provide a boost to the running backs in this offense. He also hauled in a career-high nine touchdowns in 2024, displaying some receiving upside.

Eskridge and Washington are depth pieces at this stage, with the former being a second-round pick that has played in just 34 games across five seasons.

Dolphins WR options

Odell Beckham Jr., free agent

Beckham has plenty of familiarity with the Dolphins after playing for them in 2024. He has no plans to retire at this stage and the phone lines are open. Beckham is the type of signing that won’t rock the boat, but also provide some depth.

DJ Chark, free agent

A former member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chark is no stranger to football in the Sunshine State. He is still only 29 years old and has been known for his speed.

Mecole Hardman, free agent

The Kansas City Chiefs thought they were getting another Hill when they drafted Hardman in 2019. He never developed into that replacement option for Kansas City and is now a free agent. From a pure speed standpoint, however, this is as close to Hill as McDaniel’s team can get.

Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders

Meyers requested a trade over the summer after contract talks failed to progress. A free agent after this season, the Raiders WR would be a rental option, with the potential for an extension at some point. It doesn’t make a lot of sense for Miami to invest any draft picks in the trade market to improve this 1-3 team, but nothing can be ruled out if McDaniel and the front office are trying to save their jobs.

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Much like Meyers, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to dive into the trade market. However, Ridley likely wouldn’t require as much in compensation. He’s in the second-year of a four-year, $92 million deal with Tennessee and playing for a front office that didn’t sign him. Ridley hasn’t gelled with Cam Ward through four weeks, taking a backseat to the rookie, Elic Ayomanor.

Tennessee could clear Ridley off their books and Miami could find a once-productive receiver at a fraction of the cost. If nothing else, Ridley’s contract has an out in it after this season, according to Spotrac, and would allow the Dolphins to move on if it doesn’t work.

The Broncos got their first win since Week 1, leveling their record at 2-2 while closing in on the AFC West lead.
The Bengals lost their second in a row without injured QB Joe Burrow, dropping their record to 2-2 while raising concerns they can pull out of this dive.
Denver RB J.K. Dobbins did something that had never happened in Broncos coach Sean Payton’s tenure.

Nothing like a good get-right game to put your season back on track as September gives way to October. That’s exactly what the Denver Broncos were able to enjoy in the second installment of Monday night’s twin bill, easily bucking the undermanned and underperforming Cincinnati Bengals by a 28-3 score at Empower Field at Mile High.

After dropping its previous two games (by a total of four points), Denver is level again at .500 as it prepares to play its next two games on the East Coast against the Eagles and Jets.

Meanwhile, the Bengals now stand at 2-2 themselves but are trending in the other direction and into what seems like an increasingly precarious position – a spot where we can find more losers from Monday night to go along with a few additional winners:

WINNERS

Bo Nix

His sophomore NFL season had been uneven at best through three weeks, which included the 1-2 start and not much luck moving the ball through the air. But Denver’s quarterback – with some help from Cincinnati’s leaky defense – got it going Monday night. Nix looked like the efficient player he was last season while surprisingly leading the Broncos to postseason, generally making safe passes that gave his targets room to run while taking off from the pocket himself when circumstances warranted. Nix finished with a career-high 326 yards passing, throwing for a pair of TDs while running for another.

Denver defense

Simply suffocating. This wasn’t a night when Broncos defenders were constantly celebrating turnovers, sacks or pick-sixes. But they simply didn’t cede an inch to a Cincinnati offense that averaged just 3.7 yards per play and was barely able to hold the ball for 22 minutes.

J.K. Dobbins

The Broncos new RB1, who signed with the team in June, rushed for 101 yards (on just 16 carries) – his most in more than a year, when he was still a member of the Chargers. Dobbins also became the first Broncos runner to hit the century mark in head coach Sean Payton’s 38-game tenure in the Rocky Mountains.

Russell Wilson?

Bengals QB2 Jake Browning has now had a pair of rough starts while filling in for injured Pro Bowler Joe Burrow. Browning can still point to his 2023 performance, when he won four of seven starts after Burrow went down with a season-ending wrist injury and wound up leading the league with a 70.4% completion rate. But he also won three of his first four starts in 2023 and hasn’t been nearly as efficient this year.

And while it would cut against the grain of Cincinnati’s traditional ethos, it’s worth wondering if the Bengals might explore a trade for a player like Wilson. He was just relegated to backup duties with the New York Giants might give another team, especially one geared to pass, at least a brief shot in the arm and perhaps keep it afloat long enough until Burrow is healthy enough to reclaim the wheel. Owner Mike Brown certainly couldn’t quibble with Wilson’s contract – which expires after the season and would only require anyone acquiring it to pay him the prorated version of his $2 million base salary.

LOSERS

Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins

Bengals run game

Cincinnati came into Monday’s game averaging a league-worst 49 yards per game on the ground, 31 fewer than any other club. The Bengals were also the only team averaging fewer than 3 yards per rush in 2025 – a paltry 2.4. It was only (very) slightly better Monday night, the Stripes managing just 53 yards on 15 attempts – hardly enough to ease the burden on Browning.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Bolts’ record (3-1) was not only blemished by Sunday’s loss to the previously winless New York Giants, since the defeat, the Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs (both now 2-2) have pulled to within a game of the AFC West leaders.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman

We’re splitting hairs here but turns that ESPN’s top “Monday Night Football” broadcast tandem would have scored a more entertaining assignment by going to South Florida, where the winless New York Jets and previously winless Miami Dolphins staged a more spirited contest.

Joe Burrow

If he’s hoping to save his team’s bacon with a miraculous return from his toe surgery in, say, mid-December … he’s gonna need more help than this. Cincy has scored all of 13 points since Burrow went down in Week 2, hardly fueling hope the team will be relevant two months from now.