The Cubs’ postseason path got a lot clearer Saturday night, but the real prize is still up for grabs.
Arizona’s walk-off win over an Aaron Judge-less Yankees team, on a night honoring the 2001 World Series champions, came right alongside Chicago’s victory over Cincinnati. Put those results together, and the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth dropped to 2 with one week left in the regular season.
In plain terms, Chicago needs any combination of two Cubs wins and Diamondbacks losses to secure a spot in the postseason. At this point, it would take a major collapse for that to fall apart. The bigger chase, though, is for the No. 4 seed and the home-field edge in the Wild Card Series.
That matters. A lot.
The Cubs and Padres were tied Sunday at 86-69 for the top wild-card spot, with the Phillies right behind at 85-70. And if you want to understand why Chicago is pushing so hard for that position, the home records tell the story.
Last postseason, the Cubs were a different team at Wrigley Field. They went 4-1 there, knocking off the Padres in the Wild Card Series and taking both games against Milwaukee in Chicago.
The alternative is not appealing: a trip to Philadelphia or San Diego as the road team. That’s especially tricky with the Padres rolling at Petco Park, where they’ve won 22 of 27.
Chicago gets another shot at a series win over the Reds on Sunday afternoon, then has Monday off before returning home for the final home series of the regular season, a three-game set against Miami. After that, the Cubs finish the year in Boston against the Red Sox.
Elsewhere in the National League, the Brewers have already wrapped up a fourth straight NL Central title, and the Dodgers have clinched the NL West. Atlanta is close to locking down the National League East, which leaves the wild-card race to take center stage as the 2026 regular season winds down.
In Other News...
Cubs Suddenly Have A Frightening Bregman Problem For The Stretch Run
The Cubs got a jolt they did not need in the middle of a late-season push when Alex Bregman was struck in the face by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck circle against Cincinnati and had to leave for the clubhouse. Matt Shaw stepped in to replace him, but the bigger concern for Chicago is what Bregman has meant since the second half of the season began, when he emerged as one of the clubs key offensive pieces.
For a team trying to keep its footing in the stretch run, any scare involving a lineup centerpiece quickly becomes more than a single-game interruption. The Cubs were already leaning on Bregman for steady production, and now they have to wait and see how much time, if any, they may lose at a point in the season when every at-bat and every win carries extra weight. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Could Have A Short-Term Answer If Ian Happ Walks
The Cubs are headed into an offseason that could leave one corner of their outfield in flux, with Ian Happ expected to test free agency and Seiya Suzuki also set to explore the market. Suzuki still profiles as a possible long-term fit if Chicago decides to keep the conversation going, but the broader picture points to a club that may need to bridge a gap while its next wave keeps developing. Josiah Hartshorn and Kane Kepley are part of that longer-term pipeline, which makes the next move less about a permanent fix and more about finding the right handoff.
That is why a short-term outfield addition could make sense, even if it comes with some risk attached. Teoscar Hernndez has come up as a potential trade target from the Dodgers, but the appeal is tempered by concern over his recent performance and the cost of taking on his contract. For a Cubs team trying to stay competitive without blocking the future, the challenge may be finding an answer sturdy enough to matter now and flexible enough not to get in the way later. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Are Back In A Brutal Trade Debate Fans Hate
Pete Crow-Armstrongs rise with the Cubs has become one of the clearest examples of how a trade can haunt a front office for years. The review also points to the Mets and Dodgers as part of the same uncomfortable conversation, with each club having moved on from a player who has since developed into an MVP-caliber performer or one of the most important bats on his current team.
For Chicago, the Crow-Armstrong part of the story is the one that matters most because he is now central to the Cubs present and future. The broader point is less flattering for the teams that let these players go, especially when the list includes a Guardians deal that sent Junior Caminero elsewhere and a pattern that has turned into one of the more painful trade debates in the sport. [Read more 🡒]