The Chicago Cubs aren’t playing on Monday, but that didn’t stop them from making a small bit of progress in the hunt for a wild card spot.
One of the teams the Cubs are chasing had a rough go of things, as the Arizona Diamondbacks coughed up a lead against the New York Yankees, losing 6-4 in their series finale in the Bronx.
As a result, the Diamondbacks now have an identical record to the Cubs, and are one game ahead of the Miami Marlins in the playoff hunt.
Here are the Wild Card standings:
Phillies: 87-69
Diamondbacks: 82-74
Cubs: 82-74
Marlins: 81-75 (1 GB)
Reds: 80-77 (2.5 GB)
Padres: 77-79 (5 GB)
Giants: 77-79 (5 GB)
What is the Cubs’ magic number?
The Cubs and Marlins are both idle on Monday, meaning that the team’s magic number will remain at six for at least another day.
Six combined wins for the Cubs and losses for the Marlins would put Chicago into the postseason for the first time since 2020.
Another thing worth noting: if the Cubs were to finish in a three-way tie with the Diamondbacks and Marlins, they would miss the playoffs, as they lost the season series to both clubs.
What’s Ahead:
The Cubs will wrap up the season with three-game series against the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.
The Diamondbacks will take on the Chicago White Sox in a three-game series beginning Tuesday, then will head home for a three-game series against the Houston Astros to wrap up the regular season.
The Marlins will take on the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates in a pair of three-game series beginning Tuesday night.
Finally, the Reds will take on the Cleveland Guardians in a two-game series starting on Tuesday, then the Cardinals in a three-game series to wrap up the season beginning on Friday.
The Padres and Giants will square off in a three-game series starting on Monday, with both teams having an elimination number of just two in the wild card race. Should either still be in the race in the final weekend of the season, the Padres will be in Chicago to play the White Sox, while the Giants will be at home to play the Dodgers.
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