The Cubs get one more shot at doing this in front of their own fans.
Chicago can still clinch a postseason berth at Wrigley Field, but the margin has narrowed after the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night, which moved the Cubs into the second Wild Card spot. If the celebration is going to happen at home, this is the final chance. There’s even a scenario in which this is the last time they play at Wrigley in 2026.
That urgency comes with a simple assignment: get the offense moving early and stop leaving runners stranded. Chicago has had trouble cashing in against the Marlins over the last two days, and now the Cubs are also staring at a trip east to face the Boston Red Sox in what could turn into a rain-soaked series.
Here’s how the lineups line up for the afternoon finale at Wrigley Field:
Chicago Cubs 1.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, CF 2.
Seiya Suzuki, RF 3.
Michael Busch, 3B 4.
Michael Conforto, DH 5.
Ian Happ, LF 6.
Nico Hoerner, 2B 7.
Pedro Ramírez, 3B 8.
Carson Kelly, C 9.
Dansby Swanson, SS
Craig Counsell is keeping most of his usual group in place against a right-handed starter. The only tweak is behind the plate, where Carson Kelly gets the nod over Miguel Amaya. Kelly also slides into the eighth spot, which drops Dansby Swanson to the bottom of the order.
Miami Marlins 1.
Otto Lopez, SS 2.
Heriberto Hernandez, LF 3.
Jakob Marsee, CF 4.
Javier Sanoja, 2B 5.
Agustin Ramírez, DH 6.
Esteury Ruiz, RF 7.
Deyvison De Los Santos, 1B 8.
Jared Serna, 2B 9.
Brian Navarreto, C
On the mound, the Cubs are turning to Matthew Boyd for what they hope is the kind of steady outing he’s made a habit of delivering. He’s coming off a sharp performance against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing one earned run on two hits in 5.0 innings. Chicago would love a repeat, even though Boyd hasn’t faced this Marlins group yet this season.
Miami counters with Tyler Phillips, who has moved in and out of the rotation but still owns a 3.45 ERA across 122.2 innings. When he faced the Cubs on September 6, he gave up three earned runs on five hits. Since then, he held the Dodgers and Padres to a combined two earned runs.
The Marlins likely won’t stretch Phillips too deep, which means Chicago should be ready for a parade of bullpen arms this afternoon.
In Other News...
Ian Happs Wrigley Gesture Felt Bigger Than A Normal Thank You
After a recent game at Wrigley Field, Ian Happ gave the crowd one of those small but memorable gestures that tends to stick around longer than the final score. The Cubs outfielder tossed a ball into the stands with a thank-you message attached, along with $300 for the fans, a fitting touch from a player who has spent his entire big-league career in Chicago since the club drafted him in 2015.
It also landed at a moment when the backdrop around Happ feels a little heavier than usual. The Cubs have already wrapped up a postseason spot, but there is no guarantee they will get another home game, and Happ is scheduled to reach free agency after the 2026 season. So a simple note and a wad of cash to the crowd carried a little extra weight, the kind of gesture that makes you wonder whether Wrigley might be seeing one of its most familiar players in a regular-season setting for the last time. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Clinched October But Their Biggest Wild Card Fight Remains
The Cubs have already checked the most important box, locking up a postseason berth for the second straight year with a 2-1 win over the Marlins, but the real work is still ahead. After a season in which midseason moves helped steady a pitching staff that had given them trouble, Chicago enters October with a clearer path than it had a few weeks ago and a chance to make the Wild Card round more favorable.
Chicago still finds itself in a tight battle for the top Wild Card spot, and that matters as much for positioning as for momentum. The Cubs own tiebreakers over both the Padres and Phillies, a useful edge if the race stays crowded, and it leaves them with a small but meaningful cushion as they try to turn a playoff ticket into a more manageable opening series. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Still Have A Real Shot To Shape Their October Path
With a week left in the regular season, the Cubs are still very much in position to influence not just whether they get into October, but how the bracket may break once they do. San Diego sits atop the National League wild-card race by a game, with Chicago and Philadelphia tied just behind, and the Cubs have already done important work for themselves by owning the head-to-head tiebreakers over both clubs.
Chicagos path is not just about chasing the Padres down, it is about what happens in the standings around them, because MLBs tiebreaking rules could swing the order and the matchups that follow. Philadelphia has the edge over San Diego but not over Chicago, which adds another layer to a race that still has room to shift in ways the Cubs can use to their advantage. [Read more 🡒]