Cubs’ Playoff Situation

The Cubs’ pursuit of a playoff spot is entering its final stages. Currently, they hold second place in the National League Central, marking their fourth consecutive year in this position. With the Milwaukee Brewers securing the top position, the Cubs aim to secure a wild-card spot.

Current Record: 87-70 as of Tuesday. Their magic number for securing a wild-card spot stands at 1, a combination of Cubs wins and Arizona Diamondbacks losses. However, on Tuesday, they faced an 8-2 defeat against the Miami Marlins, extending to 12 innings.

Games Remaining: 5.

NL Wild Card Standings: The Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres are currently tied for the top wild-card position. The Diamondbacks lag behind by four games, but the Cubs hold the tiebreaker advantage against all three teams.

The Cubs last made the playoffs in 2025 as the No. 4 seed after winning the wild-card series against the Padres but subsequently losing to the Brewers in the division series. Their postseason endeavors have seen 22 appearances in 150 seasons, resulting in eight division titles, four wild-card berths, 17 pennants, and three championships (1907, 1908, 2016).

Pete Crow-Armstrong Watch: Pete Crow-Armstrong is close to joining the exclusive group of MLB players who have achieved 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. With 45 home runs and 39 stolen bases, he aims to be the seventh player to achieve this feat. Past achievers include:

• José Canseco, Athletics, 1988: 42 home runs, 40 stolen bases
• Barry Bonds, Giants, 1996: 42-40
• Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1998: 42-46
• Alfonso Soriano, Nationals, 2006: 46-41
• Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves, 2023: 41-73
• Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, 2024: 54-59

White Sox Playoff Picture

The White Sox have shown remarkable progress by battling directly with the Cleveland Guardians for the American League Central title. Currently holding a record of 81-76, they have won Tuesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals with a score of 14-11.

Games Remaining: 5.

AL Central Standings: The White Sox trail the division leaders, the Guardians, by one game but possess the tiebreaker advantage if they finish with the same record.

AL Wild Card Standings: Firmly holding the No. 3 spot, they maintain a lead of three games over the Texas Rangers and four games over the Toronto Blue Jays.

The last playoff appearance for the White Sox was in 2021 as AL Central champions, eventually falling to the Astros in the division series. In 125 seasons, the White Sox have achieved 11 playoff appearances, obtaining six division titles, one wild-card berth, six pennants, and three championships (1906, 1917, 2005).

Playoff Format Explained

Wild-card round: Scheduled from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, these best-of-three games will all occur at the higher seed’s home field. The No. 5 seed will play at the No. 4 seed, while the No. 6 seed will face the No. 3 seed. Teams ranked Nos. 1 and 2 will have byes.

Division Series: Taking place from Oct. 3 to Oct. 10, these best-of-five series follow a 2-2-1 format. The match-ups will be No. 1 vs. No. 4/5 winner and No. 2 vs. No. 3/6 winner.

League Championship Series: The series is scheduled for Oct. 11 to Oct. 20, following a best-of-seven, 2-3-2 format.

World Series: This prestigious event will run from Oct. 23 to Oct. 31, following a best-of-seven, 2-3-2 format.