What happens when one of MLB’s most talented lineups faces one of the hottest young pitchers in baseball?

Find out Tuesday when the Padres head to Chicago to challenge lefty Justin Steele and the pesky Cubs. 

Steele was a major breakout candidate after his strong finish to 2022 when he posted a 0.98 ERA with an 11.5 K/9 over his final seven starts and has hardly skipped a beat.

(7:40 p.m. ET.)

He entered the week ranked in the top five in ERA (1.44) and hard-hit rate (25.8 percent), and he’s posted four quality starts with double-digit whiffs in three of them. 

The Padres have plated at least five runs in three of four games since Fernando Tatis Jr.’s return but are hitting a meager .181 across those four games, as Juan Soto (.214), Tatis (.167), and Manny Machado (.083) have all struggled to find consistency in that stretch. 

This matchup is likely to be decided on the other side. San Diego starter Blake Snell hasn’t quite looked right in two-plus seasons since leaving Tampa Bay, and he ranks among MLB’s worst pitchers this year in ERA (6.00), FIP (6.05), and xERA (6.91).

With the Cubs’ offense posting top-five numbers in virtually every metric, Steele should have the run support he needs to cruise to another win. 

THE PLAY: Cubs +105 (Caesars)