The small-market San Diego Padres have a $249 million payroll, much more than the $188 million the big-market Chicago Cubs spent on players.
The Padres lineup at Wrigley Field on Thursday included three players with contracts more than $280 million and another in Juan Soto who should command $400 million or more when he arrives at free agency after 2024.
The Cubs, meanwhile, had one player in their lineup with a contract of $177 million and aside from Dansby Swanson no players with deals of over $86 million.
But in the battle of the big West Coast spenders and their more frugal Midwest rivals, the Cubs came out with a 5-2 win before 26,588 on a cool but comfortable afternoon at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs ended their seven-game homestand against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Padres, two of the National League preseason favorites, at 3-4. They improved to 14-10 with their fifth series win over the last six and clinched a winning record for April with three games remaining.
“At the end of the day the most important thing is the guys in tis locker room, no matter who we play, I feel we match up well because we’re going to go out and play our game,” Swanson said. “The more we can keep the focus and the energy going in that direction, just improving as a group, collectively and individually, that’s the most important thing for us.”
Last season the Cubs finished 8-13 in April, essentially making the final five months an audition for younger players trying to prove themselves and veterans who would be dealt at the trade deadline. That seemed like a distant memory, even as the Cubs still have a way to go to prove they’re legitimate contenders.
The biggest reason for optimism is they were not irrelevant by the time the Bears made their first-round draft pick.
Hayden Wesneski (2-1) allowed one run over five innings to get the win, and the Cubs scored all the runs they needed in the third inning on back-to-back home runs from Eric Hosmer and Nelson Velázquez and an RBI single from Tucker Barnhart that center fielder Trent Grisham lost in the sun.
Swanson poked one into the left-field basket in the seventh, his first home run as a Cub, to make it 5-1.
“I felt like I got a good glimpse of what Wrigley wind can do,” Swanson said. “It was obviously cool. It’s a special place, and I get the first one out of the way. It’s a good feeling.”
Swanson celebrated in the dugout like it was the first home run of his career. He came into the game hitting 0.95 (2-for-21) on the homestand and 0-for-15 in the last four games. He admitted he had been “grinding” at the plate but said everyone in the dugout was supportive, which made the home run feel that much better.
“Everyone is always so positive and believes in each and every guy on this team,” he said. “When you have a group full of guys like that, it’s easy to root for one another. It was just kind of one of those moments you’re able to enjoy with your teammates.”
The Cubs bullpen did its job as well. Struggling co-closer Michael Fulmer threw a scoreless sixth inning, and Mark Leiter Jr., Keegan Thompson and part-time closer Brad Boxberger finished it out. It wasn’t as crisp as you’d like, with all four relievers walking at least one hitter.
“I’ve got to be honest, we’ve been better pitching,” manager David Ross said. “I don’t think that was our best performance, pitching-wise, and when you can say that and still come away with a win. … To make pitches when you had to, that’s the thing that stood out for me today.”
Seiya Suzuki was busy in right, making six catches from the second through the fifth and robbing Fernando Tatis Jr. in the fifth. Nick Madrigal also made a nice play at third in the seventh with Tatis hitting and two men on with two outs. Ross called it a “game-saving play.”
The Cubs have played 16 of their first 24 games at home, going 8-8. It’s something they’ll have to improve upon if they hope to contend, but a 6-2 road record has mitigated the lackluster mark at Wrigley Field.
On Friday the Cubs begin a seven-game trip to Miami and Washington, teams at different stages of their rebuilds. It should be a considerably easier stretch than facing the Dodgers and Padres, even as both NL West teams have gotten off to mediocre starts.
The Cubs believe they’re on the right path and are slowly building the kind of quiet confidence that winning teams exude. They’re 13-7 after starting 1-3 and have not lost more than two straight games since April 3.
“We’ve been riding the good momentum, and then if we have a game that’s not ideal, I think we’re good at washing it and showing up with a great attitude the next day,” Trey Mancini said. “I think that is sustainable.”
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