When are the Padres playing the Cubs? MLB announces wild card game times

MLB announced the start times for all four wild card series starting Tuesday, Sept. 29 and running through Thursday, Oct. 1. All but two matchups are set; the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers are having a mid-off to decide who will be the division winner with the worst record in 21 years, and the Philadelphia Phillies are trying to avoid a monumental collapse in the final game of the regular season to keep the Arizona Diamondbacks out.

Other than that, Red Sox - Yankees and Padres-Cubs are all set to get the 2026 postseason underway.

The Padres get the late game in every scenario, being the westernmost team in the wild card. Each of their three-game series with the Cubs will begin at 7 p.m. PT. But in the event of a Game 3, there are a couple different scenarios to look out for.