What it was like
The Chicago Cubs come to Petco Park starting April 27 in one of the most historically weighted pairings in the National League. The Cubs travel with one of baseball's largest and most vocal fan bases — there will be Cub blue in the left-field bleachers and along the first-base line before the first pitch is thrown, a reliable feature of any Chicago visit to any National League park. But Petco Park in April is one of the most beautiful baseball environments in the major leagues: the views from the upper deck toward the bay, the Gaslamp Quarter skyline visible over the left-field wall, and the Padres faithful showing a visiting crowd exactly what San Diego baseball looks like when the team is playing with purpose. April against the Cubs at Petco is not a casual visit — it is a reminder that the National League West intends to make its presence felt against a storied franchise.