The Chicago Cubs secured the National League’s No. 4 seed and home-field advantage in the 2025 MLB postseason with a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. The victory ensures that the Cubs will host the San Diego Padres in the best-of-three Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field, beginning Tuesday, September 30th, according to USA Today MLB insider and columnist Bob Nightengale.
Chicago’s win leaned on a career day from leadoff hitter Michael Busch, who went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double, and a triple, driving in four RBIs. Busch, who has hit .268/.347/.526 (.873 OPS) against right-handed pitching this season, homered on the first pitch from Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy, who took his fourth loss of the year after allowing three runs on six hits across 4.2 innings.
The Cubs’ offense also received home runs from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki, marking the eighth time this season that the trio combined for multiple homers in the same game. Suzuki, hitting his 31st home run with 102 RBIs, and Crow-Armstrong, with 31 homers and a 30-30-30 season, have returned to peak form just as the postseason begins.
Taking the hill, Jameson Taillon earned the win, pitching six innings with eight strikeouts and allowing only one run on three hits. Taillon has been dominant since returning from the IL on September 10th, allowing three earned runs over 17.1 September innings (1.56 ERA) and lowering his overall monthly ERA to 1.54 across 23.1 innings. He finished the regular season with a 3.68 ERA in 129.2 innings pitched, 98 strikeouts, and a 1.02 WHIP.
Chicago thrives at home, going 49-31 at Wrigley this season compared to 42-39 on the road, while the Padres perform much better at home (50-29) than on the road (38-43). This will be the first postseason series with fans in attendance at Wrigley Field since 2018, reviving the energy that energized the Cubs during their 2015–2017 run to three consecutive NLCS appearances.
The Cubs-Padres matchup will be the first postseason meeting between the franchises since the 1984 NLCS, which San Diego won in five games. The winner of this Wild Card Series will advance to face the National League’s No. 1 seed, either the Milwaukee Brewers or Philadelphia Phillies, in the NLDS.
Chicago’s anticipated rotation for the series includes Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and potentially Jameson Taillon, after the recent injury of Cade Horton, who went on the 15-day IL with a right rib fracture.
With one game remaining in the regular season, the Cubs will finish either 92-70 or 91-71, while the Cardinals’ season ends at 79-83 or 78-84.
