The Chicago Cubs have been to the wild card round five times, which ties them with San Diego for the most appearances by a National League club. Their results have been split: two advances and three exits, with the last two coming against the same opponent.
Every Cubs wild card appearance
| Year | Format | Opponent | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Wild Card Game | Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park | Won 4–0 |
| 2018 | Wild Card Game | Colorado Rockies | Wrigley Field | Lost 1–2 (13 innings) |
| 2020 | Wild Card Series | Miami Marlins | Wrigley Field | Lost 0–2 |
| 2025 | Wild Card Series | San Diego Padres | Wrigley Field | Won 2–1 |
| 2026 | Wild Card Series | San Diego Padres | Petco Park | Lost 0–2 |
The 2015 win was a road shutout, one of three straight National League wild card games won by the visiting team by shutout from 2014 to 2016. The 2018 defeat went 13 innings, the longest of the eighteen single-game editions.
The 2026 series
Chicago finished 89–73 and earned a second consecutive postseason berth, but as the No. 5 seed it went on the road to the No. 4 seed San Diego Padres. Both games were in the round’s late window, 10 p.m. ET.
| Date | Game | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 29 | Game 1 | Padres 8, Cubs 0 |
| Wed, Sep 30 | Game 2 | Padres 4, Cubs 1 |
Game 1 was the largest postseason shutout in Padres history; the San Diego starter carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before a Cubs single with two outs broke it up. Chicago’s only run of the series came in the fourth inning of Game 2, and San Diego answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the same inning.
The San Diego rivalry
The 2026 series was the third postseason meeting between the clubs. Chicago won the 2025 Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field in three games, and San Diego won the 1984 National League Championship Series in five after losing the first two. Chicago took the 2026 regular-season series 5–1, which did not help in October.
More: Padres wild card history, the NL wild card round.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Wild Card Series” and “2026 National League Wild Card Series”; MLB.com, “How to watch the 2026 Wild Card Series on NBC and Peacock”.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How did the Cubs do in the 2026 wild card round?
They were swept 2–0 by the San Diego Padres, losing 8–0 and 4–1 at Petco Park and scoring one run in the series.
How many wild card games have the Cubs played?
They have made five appearances in the round, winning two and losing three.
Did the Cubs ever win a wild card game on the road?
Yes. They won the 2015 NL Wild Card Game 4–0 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.