Dansby Swanson has 3 homers and 8 RBIs as the Cubs pound the Padres 23-3

CHICAGO (AP) — Dansby Swanson hit three home runs, including a grand slam, Michael Conforto homered twice and the Chicago Cubs pounded the San Diego Padres 23-3 on Wednesday.

Swanson had a career-high eight RBIs - second-most in major league history from a player batting ninth. Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch also homered for the Cubs, who scored their most runs in a home game since 1977.

Swanson, who hit two home runs Tuesday, became the first Cub with back-to-back multihomer games since Patrick Wisdom in August 2021. He has nine home runs and 29 RBIs over the past 13 games.

A day after the Padres and Cubs combined for nine homers in a 9-7 Cubs win Tuesday, they combined for nine more with the wind howling to center again as Sung-Min Song hit the first of his career for the Padres. The Cubs are 14-5 with the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field this season.

The Cubs (49-38) have won five straight after sweeping the Padres (43-42), who have lost five in a row.

Suzuki's three-run homer in the first made him the fourth Japanese-born player in major league history with 100 in his career, joining Shohei Ohtani (290), Hideki Matsui (175) and Ichiro Suzuki (117).

Cubs starter Colin Rea (6-5) allowed two runs on six hits while working out of two bases-loaded jams in five innings. Jordan Wicks pitched three innings for his second save.

Padres starter Walker Buehler (5-4) allowed nine runs in four innings.

Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. went 0 for 4, ending a 23-game on-base streak.

Padres catcher Rodolfo Duran pitched the final two innings, making his second appearance on the mound this season and allowing eight runs on 31 pitches.

San Diego has not named a starter for Thursday's game at the Dodgers and RHP Roki Sasaki (3-5, 4.88 ERA). The Cubs are off Thursday and have not announced pitchers for a home series against St. Louis beginning Friday. RHP Andre Pallante (9-5, 3.83) starts Friday for the Cardinals.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Kyle Hart reacts after Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Miguel Amaya hits a two-run single during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong, right, celebrates with Dansby Swanson after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson, center, celebrates with Miguel Amaya, left, and Michael Conforto after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson (7) is congratulated by manager Craig Counsell, right, after hitting a grand slam during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, right, of Japan, celebrates with Alex Bregman, left, and Pete Crow-Armstrong after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, left, of Japan, celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, left, of Japan, celebrates with first base coach Jose Javier after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki of Japan, watches his three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki of Japan, hits a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Walker Buehler throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Colin Rea throws against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Jason Robertson remained an unsigned restricted free agent Wednesday, days after the Dallas Stars had a deal in place to trade their high-scoring homegrown forward that they still hope to keep.

General manager Jim Nill said on the first day of NHL free agency that the goal still was to sign Robertson, and that he remained in contact with the forward's representatives.

“Really no update on Jason,” Nill said. “I think everybody needs to understand that this is July 1. The games don't start until September, and this is part of the contract negotiations.”

Nill had acknowledged last Saturday after the conclusion of the NHL draft that the Stars had a sign-and-trade deal in place to send Robertson to Seattle for the seventh overall pick. While Robertson couldn’t veto that trade, he wouldn’t agree to a long-term deal with the Kraken — a reported $120 million over eight years ($15 million a season).

The highest-paid Stars player is forward Mikko Rantanen, who just completed the first season of the $96 million, eight-year extension ($12 million a season) he signed to facilitate the deadline trade that brought him to Dallas from Carolina in March 2025.

Robertson, who turns 27 on July 22, just finished a $31 million, four-year deal he got in 2022.

Dallas made a qualifying offer to Robertson before free agency opened, and would have the opportunity to match any offers made by other teams. If not matched, the Stars could get draft-pick compensation, four first-round selections for a qualifying offer of at least $11,939,167.

Another possibility could be Robertson or the Stars filing for salary arbitration to determine a 2026-27 contract before he could become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The arbitration filing deadline is Saturday.

“I don't really know,” Nill responded when asked if he thought that could happen. "I really can't answer that. I don't know what they're thinking, and we're working through those things."

The Stars drafted Robertson 39th overall in the second round of the 2017 draft. He has 490 points (213 goals and 277 assists) in 456 regular-season games since his NHL debut in February 2020.

Robertson was coming off a 41-goal season the last time he became a restricted free agent. He missed most of training camp in a contract holdout before signing, then had a 109-point season (46 goals and 63 assists) in 2022-23.

He played all 328 regular-season games the past four seasons, scoring 365 points (155 goals and 210 assists) in that span. He was Dallas' top scorer with 96 points last season, with 45 goals for his third 40-goal season.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson speaks during media availability Monday, May 4, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero,File)

FILE - Dallas Stars' Jason Robertson watches a face-off during Game 2 of a first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series against the Minnesota Wild Monday, April 20, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez,File)