The Cubs are hosting playoff games with fans in the stands for the first time since 2018.
A lot has changed since then, from the team makeup to the playoff format. So, here are the answers to questions you may have, as the Cubs get ready to take on the Padres at Wrigley Field this week:
When are the Cubs’ games, and how can I watch them?
The Cubs are hosting the Padres at Wrigley Field in a best-of-three Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday. Game 1 on Tuesday and Game 2 on Wednesday are both scheduled for 2:08 p.m. CT. They will air on ABC.
If a Game 3 is necessary Thursday, those details will be revealed on a later date. But all games of the series will be at Wrigley Field.
What is the playoff format?
The Cubs (92-70) won home-field advantage by claiming the first of three National League wild-card spots, making them the No. 4 seed, behind the three division winners.
If they advance past the wild-card round, they will play the Brewers, who finished with the best record in the majors (97-65) and claimed a No. 1 seed, in the best-of-five NL Division Series. The Brewers will host Game 1, 2 and the if-necessary Game 5. The Cubs would host Game 3 and the if-necessary Game 4.
The league championship series and the World Series are both best-of-seven.
When will the Cubs release their playoff roster?
Teams have to submit their playoff rosters by 10 a.m. CT on Tuesday. The Cubs are expected to reveal their roster sometime between that deadline and game time.
Teams submit 26-man rosters before each playoff round, but they can request injury replacements during a series.
The Cubs could choose to carry 12 pitchers and 14 position players for the wild-card round, with a lesser demand for pitching depth in the short series.
How do the Cubs match up with the Padres?
The Padres (90-72) finished in the second NL wild-card spot, claiming the No. 4 seed. The Cubs haven’t faced them since mid-April. But they split the season series, with the Cubs winning two of three at home and one of three in San Diego.
What is the Game 1 pitching matchup?
The Cubs are set to face Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta on Tuesday. He posted a 2.87 ERA in 31 regular season games this year, including two starts against the Cubs. In the first, the Cubs tagged him for three runs in three innings. But he held them at bay in the next meeting, limiting the Cubs to one run and four hits through six innings.
The Cubs are expected to announce their Game 1 starter on Monday.