The Chicago Cubs have 10 games left in the regular season, but they already know they’ll be playing in the postseason after clinching a playoff spot Wednesday.
The Cubs currently have the third-best record in the National League, but they are still five games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the Central Division, meaning that in all likelihood they’ll be competing in the wild card round of the postseason later this month.
Here’s what you need to know after the Cubs qualified for the postseason.
When do the MLB playoffs start?
According to Major League Baseball, the wild card round series will begin on Tuesday, September 30 in both the American and National Leagues.
The best-of-three series will then continue on Wednesday, October 1 and Thursday, October 2 if necessary.
The American League Division Series and the National League Division Series both begin on Saturday, October 4, with the ALDS continuing the following day and the National League taking a break before playing Game 2’s on Monday, October 6.
Where are the Cubs at in the standings?
National League Central –
Milwaukee Brewers – 93-59
Chicago Cubs – 88-64 (5 GB)
National League Wild Card –
Chicago Cubs – 88-64
San Diego Padres – 83-69 (5 GB of Cubs)
New York Mets – 78-74 (10 GB of Cubs)
Arizona Diamondbacks – 77-76 (1.5 GB of Mets)
Cincinnati Reds – 76-76 (2 GB of Mets)
San Francisco Giants – 76-76 (2 GB of Mets)
Who could the Cubs play in the playoffs?
The Cubs remain five games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central with 10 games to go, making it highly unlikely that they’ll catch them for the division crown.
The good news for the Cubs is that they have a five-game lead on the San Diego Padres for the top wild card spot, which would earn them home-field advantage in the wild card round of the postseason. The Padres also have a five-game lead over the Mets for the second wild card spot, meaning that the Cubs and San Diego are on a collision course.
The only thing that could change that is if the Padres end up catching the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are holding onto a two-game lead in the National League West. If the Padres pass the Dodgers, then the Cubs could ultimately host the defending World Series champions at Wrigley Field for a three-game set in the opening days of the postseason.
The Cubs only need to win one more game to ensure they can’t fall into the third wild card spot, all but locking in their postseason position and ensuring a matchup with either the Padres or Dodgers.
In all likelihood, if the Cubs were to win that opening playoff series they would have to face the best team in the National League, which is currently the Brewers. The Philadelphia Phillies are 2.5 games behind Milwaukee for that spot, so the Cubs’ division series opponent would likely be one of those two teams.
Are playoff tickets on sale yet?
The Cubs have opened their postseason ticket lottery for games that will be played at Wrigley Field.
Fans age 18 and older can sign up for that lottery, which gives them an opportunity to buy tickets to a playoff game. There are ticket limits in place, and fans will be notified via email if they are granted that opportunity.
Registration for the wild card round closes at noon on Tuesday, September 23.
More information can be found on the Cubs’ website.
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