The Chicago Cubs have lost five games in a row since clinching a playoff spot, but they took a step toward cinching home-field advantage in the postseason opener.
The Cubs, who coughed up a 6-1 lead to the New York Mets on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, still moved one step closer to securing the top wild card spot in the National League thanks to a San Diego Padres loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park Wednesday.
Now, as the Cubs resume their series with the Mets, here’s where things stand in the National League Wild Card race.
Wild Card Standings:
Chicago Cubs – 88-69
San Diego Padres – 87-72 (2 GB of Cubs)
New York Mets – 81-76 (5 GB of Padres)
Cincinnati Reds – 80-77 (1 GB of Mets)
Arizona Diamondbacks – 80-77 (1 GB of Mets)
The Cubs’ Magic Number for Home-Field
With the Padres’ loss, the Cubs’ magic number to clinch home-field advantage in the wild card round dropped to just three.
That means that a combination of three Cubs wins and Padres losses would see the wild card round series start at Wrigley Field on Tuesday.
Who Are the Cubs’ Possible Opponents?
The Padres’ win over the Brewers on Tuesday night ensures that the Cubs now only have two potential opponents in the postseason.
In all likelihood, the Cubs will be facing off with the Padres when the postseason begins next week, as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ magic number to clinch the National League West has dropped to just two.
If the Dodgers somehow collapse and the Padres win the division, then the Cubs would face the Dodgers in the wild card round, most likely at Wrigley Field.
What Are the Other Playoff Matchups?
In the American League, the Toronto Blue Jays are two games up on the Seattle Mariners in the race for the best record, and both would receive byes in the first round of the postseason.
The Cleveland Guardians, who have reeled off a staggering winning run in recent weeks, are now tied for first place with the Detroit Tigers in the National League Central, but win a tiebreaker over Detroit. That means they would face the lowest-seeded wild card team, which is currently the Tigers.
In the other wild card series, it would be the New York Yankees hosting the Boston Red Sox in the Bronx.
In the National League, the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies have the top-two records, and are likely receiving byes in the first round, as the Brewers have already clinched and the Phillies are just two wins away from doing so.
The Dodgers would face the Mets in the first round of the postseason if the season ended today, and the Cubs would host the Padres.
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