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Padres Notes: SD Sweeps Cubs, NLDS Schedule Revealed, Joe Musgrove and Ethan Salas Make History

Catch up on all the latest Padres news and notes.
Gabe Smallson|
Sep 30, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pose for a photo as outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) slides in the front after defeating the Chicago Cubs in game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Sep 30, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pose for a photo as outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) slides in the front after defeating the Chicago Cubs in game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-1, on Wednesday evening and advanced to the National League Division Series to face the Milwaukee Brewers.

Right-hander Nick Pivetta struck out four in 3.1 innings of work while allowing an earned run, but the bullpen combined for just one walk and one hit for the remainder of the evening.

Offensively, a Xander Bogaerts RBI single started the scoring on Wednesday night while Ethan Salas — in the 20-year-old's first postseason plate appearance — notched a sacrifice fly to double the lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Gavin Sheets hit a towering two-run home run to extend the advantage.

Following the game, the schedule was finalized for the NLDS which will begin on Saturday. First pitch for Saturday's Game 1 is 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET. First pitch for Sunday's Game 2 will be 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET.

In other news, right-hander Joe Musgrove made some incredible history not seen since 1945 after his emotional performance to close out Tuesday's game. He spoke on how special the moment was after nearly two years away and the roaring Petco Park crowd that added to the atmosphere.

“It’s humbling to see the ovation that I got,” Musgrove said. “It’s been really hard for me to sit back and, you know, with the contract and all, and not pitch for two years. I’ve done everything in my power to get back on the mound, and it just hasn’t gone my way. But to still be welcomed back like that and give me that boost in the ninth was huge.”

Finally, it wasn't the only history made during the wild-card round as Salas became the youngest player to ever appear as a catcher in a postseason game. With an RBI on a sacrifice fly, Salas will look to collect his first-career postseason hit this October and hopefully add to his RBI total in the NLDS.

Here’s all the latest Padres news and stories (click the headline for the full article):

Padres' Joe Musgrove Makes MLB History Not Seen Since 1945 in Wild-Card Win

Former Dodgers Star Helped Padres Land One of Their Most Important Players This Year

Padres Receive Unfortunate Michael King Prediction Ahead of Offseason

Padres Lineup for Wild-Card Game 2 vs Cubs: Ethan Salas Starting in Historic Feat

Joe Musgrove Made Huge Impact on Padres' Postseason Before He Even Threw a Pitch

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Gabe Smallson
GABE SMALLSON

Gabe Smallson is a sportswriter based in Los Angeles with a focus in sports and entertainment content. Gabe has previously worked at Newsweek and Dodgers Nation. He graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 and received his Masters of Science at the University of Southern California in 2025.

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