Apr 5, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres outfield Gavin Sheets (30) strikes out swinging during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Chicago, Illinois – The Padres’ picture-perfect start to the season has hit a muddy patch in Chicago.
After opening the year with a pristine 7-0 record behind clean defense and sharp pitching — just one error and 21 walks in 63 innings — San Diego has unraveled over two frustrating days at Wrigley Field. Saturday’s 7-1 loss to the Cubs marked their second straight defeat, and second straight game with uncharacteristic sloppiness in all phases.
In just 16 innings across two games in Chicago, Padres pitchers have walked a staggering 15 batters, while the defense has committed three errors. That’s a far cry from the precision they displayed at Petco Park.
Nick Pivetta, dominant in his season debut with seven shutout innings and no walks, looked like a different pitcher on a chilly Saturday afternoon. The right-hander labored through 76 pitches in just 3.0 innings, walking three and surrendering a solo homer to Dansby Swanson. Most notably, Pivetta issued a bases-loaded walk to Kyle Tucker in the second — the second day in a row a Padres pitcher forced in a run with a free pass.
Omar Cruz followed with 2.2 uneven innings, walking three and allowing two more runs. Alek Jacob didn’t fare much better, walking a pair and serving up a two-run homer to Carson Kelly to make it 7-0.
Offensively, the Friars never found their rhythm. Despite putting runners on in six different innings, they failed to string together the kind of rally they’ve become known for. Their lone run came in the seventh, when Brandon Lockridge and Elias Díaz singled with two outs and Fernando Tatis Jr. knocked in Lockridge with a base hit.
Still, the rally fizzled, and San Diego was left to stew in another flat performance.
The Padres will try to avoid a sweep on Sunday, sending left-hander Kyle Hart to the mound to face Cubs righty Ben Brown. To snap out of their mini-slide, they’ll need to rediscover the clean, relentless style of play that powered their season-opening streak — and quickly.
