Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres Prediction, 4/28/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Chicago Cubs vs San Diego Padres

Date: Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Location: Petco Park in San Diego, CA

TV: Padres.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Chicago (-145) San Diego (+125)

The San Diego Padres (18-9) will try to defeat the Chicago Cubs (17-11) at Petco Park on Tuesday. The line on this matchup has Chicago at -145 and San Diego opens at +125. The total is 8. The expected starting pitchers are Edward Cabrera and Walker Buehler.

The Cubs have accrued 41 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 37 balls out of the park. Chicago has a slugging percentage of .427 and have been called out on strikes 239 times, while being walked on 126 occasions. As a team, the Chicago Cubs are notching 5.3 runs per game, which ranks them 4th in baseball. They have 135 RBI's as well as 254 hits for the season, while their team batting average is at .263. They have earned a total of 149 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .354.

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The Cubs are sitting with a team ERA of 3.89 on the season (10th in MLB), and their staff has struck out 225 hitters. Cubs pitchers have given up 32 home runs and also 118 total runs (11th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 86 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.13 as a team this year. Chicago has allowed 211 hits (7.6 per 9 innings) as well as 108 earned runs. They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.62 and their pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.19.

The Cubs have sent 83 relief pitchers to the hill for the year. The relievers have inherited 38 base runners on the year with 31.6% of those players ended up crossing the plate. The relief pitchers are sitting with 4 holds on the campaign (30th in MLB). Cubs pitchers have entered the contest with players on base 29 times as well as having 24 appearances in high leverage situations. They have tallied 5 saves this year and have blown 5 of 10 save opportunities. The Cubs bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 50.0% and have entered the game in 14 save situations.

The Chicago Cubs have accumulated 750 putouts thus far, in addition to 250 assists and 16 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .984 which is 18th in pro baseball, and have accumulated 20 double plays. The Cubs have turned 72.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 2,250 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 4th in baseball.

Cabrera (27-29 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a FIP of 3.93 and he has gone up against 1,963 opposing batters in the major leagues. He has conceded 373 base knocks (7.3 hits per 9 innings) with 227 walks. His ERA is 3.99 (204 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.303. Cabrera has pitched in 460 innings and has accounted for 500 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career.

The Padres hold a team slugging percentage of .382 and they are earning 4.56 runs per contest (14th in the league). They have recorded 51 two-baggers, while walking 94 times and putting up 123 runs. San Diego is sitting with 25 home runs on the campaign and 118 RBIs. They have been rung up on 222 instances (23rd in baseball) and have tallied 211 base hits. The San Diego Padres hold a team on-base percentage of .311 in addition to a batting average of .235 on the season.

The Padres are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.286 and are the owners of a FIP of 3.48 as a unit so far this year. They are sitting at 12th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 222. The San Diego pitching staff have surrendered 111 runs for the season while holding a team ERA of 3.96 (106 earned runs yielded). They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 9.00 (242 strikeouts against 88 walks). They have given up 20 homers and they surrender 4.15 runs per 9 innings (8th in baseball).

They are currently ranked 10th in the league with a save rate of 66.7%, and they have sent 92 relievers onto the diamond for the season. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 31 times in high leverage situations in addition to 24 occasions with base runners. Sitting with 41 save situations, the Padres have accrued 21 holds in addition to 6 blown saves. San Diego has called on relievers to step onto the hill in 18 save chances and they have walked away with 12 saves. San Diego relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 37.2% out of their 43 inherited runners.

In 2,169 innings on the diamond, the Padres have earned a defensive efficiency of 68.5% (25th in professional baseball). The San Diego Padres have gotten 23 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .993 (3rd in the majors). The Padres have 235 assists, 7 errors and have amassed 723 putouts over the course of the season.

During his MLB career, Buehler has surrendered 742 hits while totaling 866 punch outs in 859 frames. He has conceded a total of 341 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.166 and having a FIP of 3.5. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.33 and he has gone up against 3,559 batters so far in his MLB career. Buehler (58-31 career win-loss record) has earned a 3.57 ERA while conceding 7.8 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take San Diego (+125)

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