The Major League Baseball season has reached its final weekend, with both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox earning spots in the playoffs. This marks only the fourth occurrence in MLB history where both teams made the postseason simultaneously, previously happening in 1906, 2008, and 2020.
Cubs
The Cubs finished second in the National League Central for the fourth year in a row, following the Milwaukee Brewers, who secured their fourth consecutive division title. Cubs manager Craig Counsell celebrated the playoff berth alongside his team at Wrigley Field on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Record: 89-73 in the regular season.
Sunday’s Result: 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Tampa, Florida.
NL Wild Card: The Cubs secured the No. 5 seed in the National League and will play against the fourth-seeded San Diego Padres in a best-of-three wild-card series starting Tuesday in San Diego. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies obtained the last wild-card position as the No. 6 seed after winning on Sunday.
Postseason History
The Cubs boast 22 postseason appearances across 150 seasons, claiming eight division titles, four wild-card berths, 17 pennants, and winning three championships in 1907, 1908, and 2016.
In the regular season, Pete Crow-Armstrong achieved a rare milestone by becoming the seventh player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in one season. He completed the season with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases. The illustrious players reaching this feat before him include:
- José Canseco, Athletics, 1988: 42 home runs, 40 stolen bases
- Barry Bonds, Giants, 1996: 42-40
- Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1998: 42-46
- Alfonso Soriano, Nationals, 2006: 46-41
- Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves, 2023: 41-73
- Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, 2024: 54-59
White Sox
The White Sox finished their season with a record of 84-78, and achieved a 4-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. Despite falling short of clinching the division title, which was secured by the Guardians as the No. 2 seed in the American League, the White Sox managed a significant turnaround.
AL Wild Card: The White Sox, as the No. 6 seed, will head to Houston to face the AL West champions, the Astros, in a best-of-three wild-card series, set to commence on Tuesday.
Postseason History
The White Sox have appeared in the postseason 11 times over 125 seasons, with six division titles, one wild-card berth, six pennants, and three championships in 1906, 1917, and 2005.
Playoff Outlook
National League
Wild-card round
- No. 5 Cubs at No. 4 Padres
At Petco Park in San Diego
Game 1: Tuesday, 9 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary - No. 6 Phillies at No. 3 Braves
At Truist Park in Atlanta
Game 1: Tuesday, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 1 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Division Series
Oct. 3-10, best of five
- No. 1 Brewers vs. Cubs/Padres winner
- No. 2 Dodgers vs. Braves/Phillies winner
Championship Series
Oct. 11-20, best of seven
American League
Wild-card round
- No. 6 White Sox at No. 3 Astros
At Daikin Park in Houston
Game 1: Tuesday, 4 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 4 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary - No. 5 Red Sox at No. 4 Yankees
At Yankee Stadium in New York
Game 1: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Division Series
Oct. 3-10, best of five
- No. 1 Rays vs. Yankees/Red Sox winner
- No. 2 Guardians vs. White Sox/Astros winner
Championship Series
Oct. 11-20, best of seven
The World Series is scheduled for October 23-31, following a best-of-seven format. This postseason promises excitement with historic milestones and high-stakes matchups.