The Chicago Cubs aren’t playing on Monday, but that hasn’t stopped them from making small strides in the hunt for a wild-card spot.
One of the teams the Cubs were chasing had a tough time, as the Arizona Diamondbacks jumped out to a lead against the New York Yankees and lost 6-4 in their series finale in the Bronx.
As a result, the Diamondbacks now have an identical record as the Cubs and are one game ahead of the Miami Marlins in the playoff hunt.
Here are the wild card ratings:
Phillies: 87-69
Diamondbacks: 82-74
Boy: 82-74
Marlins: 81-75 (1GB)
Red wines: 80-77 (2.5 GB)
Padres: 77-79 (5GB)
Giant: 77-79 (5GB)
What is the Cubs’ magic number?
The Cubs and Marlins are both idle on Monday, meaning 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 send Chicago to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
Another thing worth noting: If the Cubs finished in a three-way tie with the Diamondbacks and Marlins, they would miss the playoffs, having lost the season series to both clubs.
What’s ahead:
The Cubs will close the season with a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.
The Diamondbacks will face the Chicago White Sox in a three-game series starting Tuesday and then face the Houston Astros in a three-game series to close out the regular season.
The Marlins will face the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates in two three-game series starting Tuesday night.
Finally, the Reds take on the Cleveland Guardians in a two-game series starting Tuesday, then a three-game series against the Cardinals to close out the season that begins Friday.
The Padres and Giants will face off in a three-game series starting Monday, with both teams only an elimination number of two in the wild-card race. If both are still in contention come the final weekend of the season, the Padres will play the White Sox in Chicago while the Giants will play the Dodgers at home.
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