As we head down the final 4 games of the season, here is what the Cubs, and their competitors for playoff positioning are facing.
Well, they finally did it…the Cubs are in the 2026 playoffs. And after the roller-coaster year they’ve been through, it does seem like a fairly significant accomplishment. Other teams with high expectations like the Blue Jays, Tigers and Mariners will be sitting the playoffs out this year, so I think it is something fand should appreciate.
But, the Padres beat the Dodgers again, and right now, all signs point to the Cubs having to play a Wild Card series in San Diego, against the hottest team in baseball, where they have played extremely well.
The mild good news for the Cubs is that the Diamondbacks are still alive for the last Wild Card, fighting with the Phillies, and will throw everything they have against the Padres for as long as that is the case.
Current Wild Card Standings
| Team | W | L | GB | Magic # | Elim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Padres | 89 | 70 | – | 0 | – |
| *Cubs | 88 | 71 | 1 | 0 | – |
| Phillies | 87 | 72 | 2 | 2 | – |
| Diamondbacks | 85 | 74 | 4 | – | 2 |
*Clinched a Wild Card Berth
| Team | Proj W | Proj L | ROS W% | SoS | Make Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Padres | 90.5 | 71.5 | .484 | .525 | 100% |
| Cubs | 89.6 | 72.4 | .523 | .535 | 100% |
| Phillies | 88.5 | 73.5 | .506 | .529 | 88.9% |
| Diamondbacks | 86.5 | 75.5 | .516 | .516 | 11.1% |
Tiebreakers:
Cubs over Padres
Cubs over Phillies
Cubs over Diamondbacks
Phillies over Padres
Diamondbacks over Phillies
Padres / Diamondbacks TBD (5-5 with 3 games left)
Padres Schedule
Vs Diamondbacks (3)
Opponent something to play for: Yes
Possible Pitching Matchups
9/25 – TBD (Mize) vs Pfaadt
9/26 – TBD (Buehler) vs Burnes
9/27 – TBD vs Soroka
Notes: Padres are playing for home field, and not a playoff berth, so perhaps they are a bit more conservative with how they deploy their resources.
Cubs schedule
At Red Sox (3)
Opponent something to play for: No (locked into 5th spot in AL)
Possible pitching matchups:
9/25 (Game 1) – Holmes vs Gamboa
9/25 (Game 2) – Peterson vs Bello
9/26 or 9/27 – TBD vs TBD
Notes: Due to weather in Boston, there will be a day-night double-header on Friday, and a game in Boston on Saturday or Tampa on Sunday. Boston is starting Alec Gamboa, a lefty, in the first game on Friday, in only his 3rd start of the season. He does have an amazing 1.16 ERA. Brayan Bello, who starts game 2, has a 1.98 ERA as a reliever but a 7.77 ERA as a starter.
Phillies Schedule
Vs Rays (3)
Opponent something to play for: No
Possible Pitching Matchups
9/25 – Sanchez vs Peralta
9/26 – TBD vs Jax
9/27 – TBD vs TBD
Notes: The Phillies miss out on seeing Drew Rasmussen, and with the Rays having already clinched the top AL spot, they will not push their starters too hard.
Diamondbacks Schedule
At Padres (3)
Opponent something to play for: Yes
Possible Pitching Matchups:
9/25 – Pfaadt vs TBD (Mize)
9/26 – Burnes vs TBD (Buehler)
9/27 – Soroka vs TBD
Notes: The Diamondbacks are still chasing the Phillies for the final Wild Card spot. They cant be eliminated of Friday if they win or the Phillies lose.
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