Chicago Cubs In For Potentially Wild Weekend in Playoff Race

A suspension of a critical game means the Chicago Cubs could have a great weekend and still need to wait until Monday to know their fate.

The Chicago Cubs know they’re in trouble when it comes to the National League Wild Card playoffs. Just how much trouble is unclear.

The Cubs were swept by the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, a loss that put them 0.5 games behind the Miami Marlins for the final National League Wild Card berth.

Or, is it 1.0 games behind?

Well, we may not know until Monday.

The Marlins, up 2-1 in the ninth inning over the New York Mets on Thursday, saw the game suspended after a three-hour rain delay. With the Marlins heading to Pittsburgh for a series on Friday, the earliest the game could be completed is Monday.

Yep, that’s right. Monday.

Now, the Cubs need to right their own ship first as they prepare for three games with the Milwaukee Brewers. But remember that the Miami Marlins have the tiebreaker over the Cubs. If the two teams are tied by season’s end then the Marlins would get the berth.

So, imagine this. The Cubs get the job done in Milwaukee, but because of this suspension they have just a 0.5-game lead going into Monday, when the Marlins and Mets would resume their game that afternoon. The Cubs would sit there watching to see if the Marlins win or lose, either ending the Cubs’ season or handing them the final playoff berth and a Wild Card series date with … the Brewers.

It's going to be a wild weekend indeed.

Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch a Wild Card berth and the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.

The NL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 29

Thursday’s results

Pittsburgh 3, Philadelphia 2

Chicago White Sox 3, Arizona 1

Atlanta 5, Chicago Cubs 3

Miami 2, New York Mets 1 (suspended, ninth inning, rain)

Cincinnati, idle

Standings

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Philadelphia (89-70): +7.0 Games (No. 4 Seed; will play No. 5 seed)

Arizona (84-75): — +1.5 GB (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 2)

Miami (82-76): — (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 4)

Chicago Cubs (82-77): — 0.5 GB (Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 4)

Cincinnati (81-78): — 1.5 GB

What’s Left?

Philadelphia (3): Friday-Sunday: at New York Mets (3)

Chicago Cubs (3): Friday-Sunday: at Milwaukee (3)

Arizona (3): Friday-Sunday: vs. Houston (3)

Cincinnati (3): Friday-Sunday: at St. Louis (3)

Miami (3): Friday-Sunday: at Pittsburgh (3)