Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (4/14/25): Padres 10, Cubs 4 – Another Bullpen Meltdown
The Cubs came into their three-game set in San Diego on Monday hoping to keep the momentum going from a series win over the Dodgers. Chicago went on top in the middle innings, but the bullpen and defense faltered and the Padres rallied back to take the victory.
The Pads grabbed the lead in the bottom of the 3rd when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a solo home run against Jameson Taillon. The North Siders went ahead in the top of the 4th when the red-hot Michael Busch blasted a two-run homer off of former Cubs farmhand Dylan Cease. Pete Crow-Armstrong picked up where he left off Sunday with an RBI double later in the frame to make it a 3-1 score.
Taillon pitched well before coming out with one out in the 6th inning, and that’s when things started to go sideways for Chicago. A misplayed fly ball in left dropped untouched and was followed by RBI singles from Jose Iglesias and Jason Heyward to tie the score at three.
Nate Pearson came on in the 7th and had another clunker with a walk, a double, and an intentional walk to load the bases with nobody out. A wild pitch allowed the go-ahead run to score, then Gavin Sheets singled home a pair to give the Padres a 6-3 advantage.
The Cubs got a run back when Miguel Amaya doubled off of Jason Adam in the top of the 8th to cut the deficit to 6-4. Tatís hit his second dinger in the bottom of the frame to give the Pads an 8-4 edge. The home squad would win by a score of 10-4. (Box score)
Key Moment
The Cubs have given Pearson several chances in high-leverage spots and it has not gone well. It was clear immediately he did not have it on Monday and the Padres took advantage.
Why the Cubs Lost
The bullpen remains the biggest liability and a couple of defensive plays that weren’t made to put even more pressure on a unit that already has issues.
Stats That Matter
- Taillon did a very good job and just didn’t get much help from his teammates: 5.1 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 4 K, 1 BB.
- Amaya had three total hits, including two doubles, and has been great so far in 2025.
- PCA now has six knocks in his last two games, four of which have gone for extra bases.
Bottom Line
When playing a team that’s as good as the Padres are right now, there is no margin for error. The Cubs were very sloppy in the middle innings and they definitely paid the price for it. I would expect a bit of a reshuffle in the bullpen after Monday to try and find some more consistent arms. The last two days have been incredibly encouraging for PCA, so this could be the beginning of a huge season.
On Deck
Game two of the series is Tuesday at 8:40pm CT. Shōta Imanaga faces off against Randy Vásquez in a matchup available on Marquee with radio coverage on 670 The Score.
