Cubs vs. Padres Lineup: Busch Moves Up, Can Swanson Keep It Going? More Homers?

The Chicago Cubs have won 14 of their last 18 games, and they'll look to stay scorching hot on Wednesday afternoon as they go for the sweep of the visiting San Diego Padres.

Cubs hitters smacked a season-high five home runs in Tuesday's 9-7 win, including a multi-homer game for Dansby Swanson (his second such game in his last eight). Also adding on were Alex Bregman, Michael Busch, and Pete Crow-Armstrong.

The Padres added four long balls of their own, two of them coming from Fernando Tatis Jr.

The wind will be blowing out to center field once again, which could set up a high-scoring afternoon finale.

Game Info

Who: San Diego Padres (43-41) at Chicago Cubs (48-38)
Where: Wrigley Field
When: 1:20 p.m. CT
Watch: Marquee Sports Network
Listen: 104.3 The Score, Univision TUDN, WPPN 106.7 / TUDN

Chicago Cubs Lineup

1. Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF
2. Alex Bregman, 3B
3. Michael Busch, 1B
4. Seiya Suzuki, RF
5. Ian Happ, LF
6. Nico Hoerner, 2B
7. Michael Conforto, DH
8. Miguel Amaya, C
9. Dansby Swanson, SS

Craig Counsell shuffled the batting order back around after he dropped Busch to fifth on Tuesday. Busch is hitting just .111 over his last seven games, but his towering home run on Tuesday and a favorable matchup against right-hander Walker Buehler bring him back up to the three-hole.

Conforto reenters the fold after Kevin Alcántara took over utility duties in Tuesday's win. Conforto's RBI single on Monday helped lift the Cubs to a 3-2 win.

And while Swanson is in ninth, don't let that fool you – he's finally on the offensive tear that he's capable of having, hitting .309 (17-for-55) over his last 15 games with six home runs and 21 RBI.

San Diego Padres Lineup

1. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
2. Gavin Sheets, LF
3. Manny Machado, DH
4. Ty France, 1B
5. Jackson Merrill, CF
6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
7. Jake Cronenworth, 2B
8. Rodolfo Durán, C
9. Sung-Mun Song, 3B

The Padres opt for four left-handed bats (Sheets, Merrill, Cronenworth, Song), to face a right-handed starter for the first time this series in Colin Rea.

San Diego hitters have racked up 24 hits in the first two games, but it's amounted to just nine total runs in the two losses. Although Machado hit a home run Tuesday, his offensive struggles have largely contributed to the Padres' larger issues at the plate. Machado's .189 average is tied for the worst in MLB among qualified hitters.

On The Mound...

Jun 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea (53) delivers a pitch against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chicago Cubs - Colin Rea, RHP (5-5, 4.80 ERA)

Rea's biggest challenge will be keeping the ball out of the air in the finale. The positive is that he's coming off back-to-back starts without allowing a home run, which includes the five innings of one-run ball he tossed in Milwaukee last time out.

Rea still struggled in June, pitching to a 5.04 ERA in his five starts (25 IP).

Both Machado and Cronenworth have homered off Rea in the past and have seen success against the right-hander.

San Diego Padres - Walker Buehler, RHP (5-3, 3.81 ERA)

Cubs hitters are quite familiar with former longtime Los Angeles Dodger in Buehler.

Conforto has two home runs against the righty in 11 at-bats to go along with a 1.203 OPS. Busch has also homered off the 31-year-old.

Swanson has struggled against him, hitting just .154 in 13 at-bats.

Buehler has also been pitching very well over the last month. He had a 1.71 ERA in June and gave up just two home runs in 26.1 innings. He shut down his former team, the Dodgers, in his last start, going 5.1 innings and allowing just one earned run while punching out five.

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