Cubs vs Mariners Live Score: Dramatic 9th-Inning Homer Seals Thriller – Highlights, Key Moments & How to Watch

The Chicago Cubs and Seattle Mariners collide tonight, Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 7:15 p.m. PT in Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. Chicago enters at 74-54, five-and-a-half games behind Milwaukee in the tight NL Central race, while Seattle sits 60-68, four games back in the AL West but still clinging to Wild Card hopes. Southpaws headline the mound duel: veteran David Peterson (7-7, 5.29 ERA) takes the ball for the Cubs against rookie Kade Anderson, who makes his first big-league start after dominating Triple-A Tacoma with a 2.37 ERA and 30.1 % strikeout rate. Peterson’s heavy slider/curve mix should play well in spacious T-Mobile, but he has been tagged for 11 homers over his last 10 turns. Anderson’s mid-90s heater and sweeping sweeper will be tested immediately by a Chicago lineup that ranks fifth in MLB in road OPS. Key Cubs to watch • Pete Crow-Armstrong: 31 HR, .279/.378/.550, 79 RBI—already a 6-WAR center fielder in his age-24 season. • Nico Hoerner: .303 OBP but 23 steals; catalyst atop Craig Counsell’s order. • Ian Happ: 15 HR, .836 OPS; three homers in his past five contests. Key Mariners to watch • Julio Rodríguez: team-best 19 HR despite a modest .253 average; owns a .917 OPS in August. • Randy Arozarena: hitting .272 with a .366 OBP since his July trade-deadline arrival, lengthening Scott Servais’ lineup. • Cole Young: 56 RBI from the two-hole, but just 3-for-22 on the current homestand. Form guide Chicago is 2-3 over its last five, dropping Thursday’s crosstown finale 3-0 to the White Sox. Seattle went 1-2 in Milwaukee, falling 7-4 on Thursday despite an early 4-0 lead. Both clubs have bullpen concerns: the Cubs own a 4.41 ERA in August, the Mariners 4.65. Injury updates • Cubs: Hoby Milner (15-day IL), Matt Shaw (10-day IL). • Mariners: Cole Wilcox (15-day IL), J.P. Crawford (10-day IL) remain out. Odds and prediction DraftKings lists Chicago at -102 and Seattle at -119 on the moneyline with an over/under of 7.5 runs. With Anderson untested and the Cubs boasting the NL’s second-highest road slugging percentage (.454), expect Chicago to exploit early jitters. Projection: Cubs 5, Mariners 3. How to watch TV: FOX (local markets) and MLB.TV out-of-market. Radio: 670 The Score (CHI), 710 ESPN Seattle. Streaming subscriptions also available through Marquee Sports Network and ROOT Sports. Bottom line “Cubs vs Mariners” brings playoff implications for both leagues as Peterson looks to steady Chicago’s rotation and Seattle hopes Anderson can spark a late-season surge. Expect plenty of eyes—and search traffic—on tonight’s interleague showdown in the Emerald City.