The baseball season’s long journey is nearing an end with a September rush. Both Chicago teams, the Cubs and the White Sox, are deep into their playoff hunts.
Cubs
The Cubs are set to finish second in the National League Central for the fourth year straight as the Milwaukee Brewers have secured their fourth consecutive division title.
In their recent game, Cubs outfielder Ian Happ celebrated a hit that contributed to their 9-1 win over the Reds. With a record of 87-69, the Cubs have six games left.
Their magic number for clinching a wild-card spot is one—a combination of Cubs’ wins and Diamondbacks’ losses will secure it.
The Cubs are currently leading in the NL wild card. They are half a game ahead of the Padres and a game ahead of the Phillies. The Cubs hold tiebreakers over these teams.
Their last playoff appearance was in 2025, where they won against the Padres but fell short against the Brewers.
With 22 playoff appearances, the Cubs have eight division titles, four wild-card berths, 17 pennants, and three championships.
40-40 Watch: Pete Crow-Armstrong is close to achieving 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases, a milestone reached by only six players before.
- José Canseco, Athletics, 1988: 42 HR, 40 SB
- Barry Bonds, Giants, 1996: 42 HR, 40 SB
- Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1998: 42 HR, 46 SB
- Alfonso Soriano, Nationals, 2006: 46 HR, 41 SB
- Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves, 2023: 41 HR, 73 SB
- Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, 2024: 54 HR, 59 SB
White Sox
Meanwhile, the White Sox are battling closely with the Guardians for the American League Central title.
After a 3-1 victory over the Tigers, with a record of 79-76, they sit just one game behind the Guardians. They hold the tiebreaker advantage if both teams end the season with the same record.
In the AL wild card race, the Sox are in the No. 3 position, with a lead of 2½ games over the Astros. They possess a tiebreaker over the Blue Jays but not the Astros.
The White Sox last appeared in the playoffs in 2021. Their postseason history includes 11 appearances and three championships.
Playoff Format
The wild-card round begins September 29 and features a best-of-three format at the higher seed’s home field.
- No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed
- No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed
- Top two seeds receive byes
Division series follows on October 3-10, with a best-of-five setup. The League Championship Series runs October 11-20, concluding with the World Series on October 23-31, both in a best-of-seven format.