The 2026 MLB Spring Training is officially underway.
Tomorrow, February 25 at 1:05 PM MST, the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres will face off at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona.
Both teams are powerhouses that made the postseason in 2025, having faced each other directly in last year's Wild Card Series.
With both teams making significant roster changes ahead of the new season, their first Spring Training matchup is already packed with intriguing storylines rivaling the regular season.
Game Overview
| Category | Details |
| Date & Time | Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 1:05 PM (MST) |
| KST | Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 5:05 AM (KST) |
| Venue | Sloan Park (Mesa, Arizona) |
| Event | 2026 MLB Spring Training (Cactus League) |
| Home Team | Chicago Cubs |
Sloan Park is the Chicago Cubs' Spring Training home, a premier baseball facility in Mesa, Arizona, with a capacity of approximately 15,000.
As an early Cactus League game, playing time for starters on both teams may be limited, but the intensity of roster competition heading into the new season is hotter than ever.
Chicago Cubs - Aggressive Offseason Upgrades
The Chicago Cubs finished the 2025 season with a 92-70 record, placing second in the NL Central and earning a postseason berth.
They built momentum by defeating the San Diego Padres 2-1 in the Wild Card Series, but fell to the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 in the Division Series.
However, the Cubs front office was far from satisfied.
In the biggest deal of the offseason, they signed Alex Bregman to a 5-year, $175 million contract.
It is the largest contract in franchise history (averaging $35 million per year), significantly bolstering the third base position.
The bullpen also underwent a major overhaul.
They signed five free agent relievers at once — Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, Caleb Thielbar, Hoby Milner, and Jacob Webb — completely rebuilding a middle relief corps that had been considered a weakness.
For the starting rotation, they acquired Edward Cabrera via trade to add right-handed firepower, and Shota Imanaga remains a solid presence.
| Position | Player | Note |
| Catcher | Carson Kelly | - |
| First Base | Michael Busch | - |
| Second Base | Nico Hoerner | - |
| Third Base | Alex Bregman | ★ New Signing |
| Shortstop | Dansby Swanson | - |
| Left Field | Ian Happ | - |
| Center Field | Pete Crow-Armstrong | Prospect |
| Right Field | Seiya Suzuki | - |
| Designated Hitter | Moises Ballesteros | Prospect |
San Diego Padres - Pitching Staff Rebuild and a New Challenge
The San Diego Padres finished the 2025 season with a 90-72 record, placing second in the NL West.
They led the division through August but ultimately fell behind the LA Dodgers, finishing as division runners-up for the second consecutive year.
Their season came to a disappointing end with a 1-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series.
This offseason, the Padres focused on rebuilding their pitching staff.
They re-signed ace Michael King to a 3-year, $75 million deal, securing the anchor of their rotation, with Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove forming the top of the rotation.
Musgrove, in particular, missed most of the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery, making his recovery status a major point of interest this Spring Training.
Competition for the back end of the rotation is also fierce.
With Randy Vasquez having essentially locked down the fourth starter spot, German Marquez, Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie, JP Sears, and Matt Waldron are all competing for the final rotation slot.
In the bullpen, Mason Miller, acquired via midseason trade, will handle closing duties.
After joining the team, Miller posted a phenomenal 0.77 ERA and 0.729 WHIP over 22 appearances, establishing himself as the bullpen's cornerstone.
| Position | Player | Note |
| Catcher | Freddy Fermin | - |
| First Base | Gavin Sheets | - |
| Second Base | Jake Cronenworth | - |
| Third Base | Manny Machado | - |
| Shortstop | Xander Bogaerts | - |
| Left Field | Ramon Laureano | - |
| Center Field | Jackson Merrill | - |
| Right Field | Fernando Tatis Jr. | - |
| Designated Hitter | Miguel Andujar | - |
2025 Season Head-to-Head Record
The two teams met six times during the 2025 regular season, splitting the series 3-3.
Including the postseason, the Cubs held a slight edge at 4-3 across seven total games.
The Wild Card Series matchup was particularly memorable, with the Cubs taking the series 2-1 to advance to the Division Series.
| Category | Chicago Cubs | San Diego Padres |
| 2025 Regular Season H2H | 3 Wins | 3 Wins |
| 2025 Postseason (Wild Card) | 2 Wins | 1 Win |
| 2025 Season Total | 4 Wins | 3 Wins |
| All-Time Record | 285 Wins | 239 Wins |
Looking at the all-time record, the Chicago Cubs hold a commanding 285-239 advantage in the head-to-head series.
However, since Spring Training is fundamentally different from the regular season, it is more important to focus on both teams' current condition and Spring Training objectives rather than historical records.
Starting Rotation Comparison
| Order | Chicago Cubs | San Diego Padres |
| No. 1 | Matthew Boyd (LHP) | Michael King (RHP) |
| No. 2 | Edward Cabrera (RHP) | Nick Pivetta (RHP) |
| No. 3 | Cade Horton (RHP) | Joe Musgrove (RHP) |
| No. 4 | Shota Imanaga (LHP) | Randy Vasquez (RHP) |
| No. 5 | Jameson Taillon (RHP) | TBD (Marquez/Buehler, etc.) |
The Cubs have assembled a well-balanced rotation featuring left-handers Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga alongside right-handers Edward Cabrera and Cade Horton.
Shota Imanaga was limited to 25 starts in 2025 due to a hamstring injury (9-8, 3.73 ERA), but if fully healthy, he is capable of replicating his outstanding 2024 season (2.91 ERA).
The Padres are led by ace Michael King.
King was also limited to 15 starts in 2025 due to shoulder issues (5-3, 3.44 ERA), but his extension has brought stability.
Nick Pivetta posted a career-best season in 2025 (13-5, 2.87 ERA, 190 strikeouts), serving as the de facto ace, and is expected to remain a core starter this year.
Since it is early in Spring Training, the regular rotation order is unlikely to be followed, and both teams will give opportunities to a variety of pitchers.
Key Players - Chicago Cubs
The Cubs' marquee offseason acquisition.
In 2025 with the Boston Red Sox, he hit .273/.360/.462 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI, earning an All-Star selection.
An elite third baseman with a career .841 OPS, Bregman is the key addition who will elevate both the defense and offense of the Cubs' infield.
As this is his first Spring Training in a new uniform, watching him build chemistry with his new teammates will be one of the highlights of this game.
Seiya Suzuki is coming off a career-best season and expectations are high.
Last season, he posted an explosive .245/.326/.478 slash line with 32 home runs and 103 RBI, surpassing the 30-homer, 100-RBI milestone for the first time.
He also proved his value as a clutch hitter in the postseason, belting 3 home runs and driving in 5 runs across 8 games.
Entering the final year of his contract, he is expected to be more motivated than ever this season.
Key Players - San Diego Padres
Padres franchise star Fernando Tatis Jr. announced his full comeback by earning an All-Star selection in 2025.
He posted a well-rounded .267/.367/.446 slash line with 25 home runs, 71 RBI, and 32 stolen bases. Early in the season, he was hitting .333 with a 1.030 OPS, ranking among the top five performers in all of baseball.
Coming off his best season since 2021 (42 HR, 25 SB), expectations are high for what Tatis will deliver this year.
Another cornerstone of the Padres lineup, Manny Machado hit .275/.335/.460 with 27 home runs and 95 RBI in 2025, earning both All-Star and Silver Slugger honors.
He appeared in 159 games, showcasing remarkable durability, and ranked fourth among qualified third basemen with a 123 wRC+.
He also reached 350 career home runs during the season, proving he remains one of the game's premier third basemen.
His matchup against the Cubs' newly acquired Bregman in this Spring Training contest adds another intriguing storyline to watch.
Key Storylines
How newly acquired players like Alex Bregman and Edward Cabrera fit in with the Cubs is the biggest storyline to follow.
Bregman will form the infield alongside Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner, and it will be worth watching how smoothly their defensive coordination comes together.
The Padres will also use this as an important opportunity to evaluate how their offseason additions are adjusting.
Both teams have key pitchers returning from injuries.
The Cubs' Shota Imanaga saw his fastball velocity drop from 91.9 mph to 90.8 mph due to the lingering effects of his 2025 hamstring injury, making velocity recovery a key factor to watch this Spring Training.
Justin Steele is also preparing to return from elbow surgery, and his recovery timeline could significantly impact the rotation.
For the Padres, Joe Musgrove is nearing his return from Tommy John surgery, and Michael King needs to put his 2025 shoulder issues behind him.
Early Spring Training outings will provide a close look at these pitchers' stuff and stamina.
The competition for the Padres' fifth starter spot is particularly intense.
No fewer than six pitchers — German Marquez, Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales, Triston McKenzie, JP Sears, and Matt Waldron — are vying for a single rotation spot.
The Cubs also have Ben Brown, Colin Rea, Javier Assad, and Jordan Wicks competing for swingman roles, with Porter Hodge also pushing for a roster spot.
Every Spring Training game is a chance for these players to prove themselves, so expect regular season-caliber intensity on the mound.
What to Watch
First, it's a Wild Card Series rematch.
Just five months ago, these two teams clashed in the postseason, and now they meet again in Spring Training.
Although it is an exhibition game, it could carry special significance for the players who still remember last October's battle.
Second, watch for the young prospects.
This is a chance to see the next generation of core players in action — Pete Crow-Armstrong and Moises Ballesteros for the Cubs, and Jackson Merrill for the Padres.
Early in the Cactus League, non-roster invitees (NRIs) also see significant playing time, offering a rare opportunity to watch minor league prospects who are seldom seen during the regular season.
Third, the Bregman vs. Machado third base showdown.
The matchup between Bregman, who joined the Cubs on the largest contract in franchise history, and Machado, the Padres' franchise cornerstone, is the highlight of this game.
Both are All-Star caliber third basemen capable of dazzling plays on both sides of the ball.
Game Prediction
As an early Spring Training game, the focus is on evaluating player conditioning and experimenting with tactics rather than the final score.
Both teams will manage their starters' playing time carefully, and minor leaguers are likely to see extensive action in the later innings.
That said, on paper, the Chicago Cubs' lineup has noticeably deepened following their aggressive offseason.
With Bregman's addition, the heart of the order — Bregman, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Swanson batting third through sixth — forms a formidable core.
Meanwhile, the Padres maintain their powerful foundation of Tatis, Machado, and Bogaerts, but the health of their pitching staff will be the key to a successful season.
This Spring Training matchup offers an early glimpse into both teams' blueprints for the 2026 season.
✔ Cubs: Impact of Bregman's addition, bullpen rebuild status, Imanaga's health recovery
✔ Padres: Musgrove's return status, fifth starter competition, Miller's adjustment as closer