The Chicago Cubs haven’t been enjoying their greatest baseball after clinching a playoff spot, however the postseason image is coming into sharper focus.
The Cubs have misplaced three consecutive video games to the Cincinnati Reds, who’re respiratory down the necks of the New York Mets within the hunt for the third and remaining wild card spot within the Nationwide League, however the Cubs nonetheless management their very own future relating to incomes home-field benefit within the first spherical of the postseason.
Right here’s the place issues stand getting into motion on Sunday.
Nationwide League Central Standings:
Milwaukee Brewers – 95-60
Chicago Cubs – 88-67 (7 GB)
Nationwide League Wild Card Standings:
Chicago Cubs – 88-67
San Diego Padres – 84-71 (4 GB of Cubs)
New York Mets – 80-75 (4 GB of Padres)
Cincinnati Reds – 79-76 (1 GB of Mets)
Arizona Diamondbacks – 78-77 (2 GB of Mets)
If the Season Ended Immediately
The Cubs had been going to have an uphill climb to attempt getting again into the highest spot within the Nationwide League Central regardless, however their present three-game shedding streak unquestionably has ended these probabilities, because the Brewers want only one extra win or yet one more Cubs loss to clinch the division crown.
As an alternative, the Cubs should give attention to holding onto the highest wild card spot within the Nationwide League.
The Cubs’ magic quantity to clinch that spot is simply 4, and it seems that they’re headed towards a first-round matchup with the Padres.
If the Cubs maintain onto the highest spot, that best-of-three collection would begin on Tuesday, September 30 at Wrigley Area.
The Mets are barely hanging onto their wild card spot, with the Reds and the Diamondbacks nonetheless in sizzling pursuit because the season enters its remaining week. Whichever workforce earns that third wild card spot will face the division winner with the worst file, which can possible be the Los Angeles Dodgers, as they path the Phillies by 4 video games.
The winner of the Cubs-Padres collection would face the highest workforce within the Nationwide League, with the Brewers holding a three-game lead within the race for the highest file within the league. The winner of the opposite collection would face the Phillies within the Nationwide League Division Sequence.
