What happened: The San Diego Padres travel to Wrigley Field to face the Chicago Cubs. Chicago comes in at 46-38 and has taken two in a row, while San Diego sits at 43-39 after dropping two straight. The clubs have already met several times this season.
Why it matters: The Cubs have controlled the recent season series, taking two of the last three meetings between the teams. With Chicago averaging 4.9 runs and San Diego scratching for offense at 3.9 per game, the pitching and run-prevention edge could decide a close NL contest with division-race implications.
By the numbers: Chicago is 46-38, scoring 4.9 runs per game and allowing 4.4; San Diego is 43-39, scoring 3.9 and allowing 4.1. In their last three head-to-head games, the Cubs won two (5-4 and 8-3) while the Padres took the other 9-7. Chicago entered listed with the total set at 11.5.
What to watch: Watch whether San Diego can halt its two-game slide against a Cubs club riding momentum at home, and how the back-and-forth season series tilts after this meeting.