Cubs Pursuit of NL Wild Card Magic Number Moves Into Single Digits

The Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves, saw the San Francisco Giants lose, and their NL Wild Card magic number drop by two.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jameson Taillon (50) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs got Jameson Taillon back on the mound on Wednesday night and beat the Atlanta Braves, 3-2.   

The Cubs (83-63) didn’t get much length from Taillon, who was making his first start after spending more than two weeks on the injured list. He gave up six hits and two runs in 4.1 innings. But five different relievers pitched scoreless baseball, as Andrew Kittredge claimed the save in place of the injured Daniel Palencia. Carson Kelly hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. But it was Seiya Suzuki’s RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth that proved to be the margin of victory.    

With that, and some other factors, the Cubs’ pursuit of their NL wild card berth received a significant boost.

Cubs Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth

Carson Kelly crushes this one and ties the ballgame! pic.twitter.com/LgrpUYfvT2

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 11, 2025

The Cubs can trim their magic number two ways. First, they can win. Second, the San Francisco Giants — which are the first team out of the wild card race — can lose. Before the Cubs won on Wednesday, the San Francisco Giants hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks in the final game of their three-game series.

The Giants lost the game to the D-backs. That, coupled with the Chicago win, trimmed the Cubs’ magic number dropped to eight.

Meanwhile, in the NL Central race, the Milwaukee Brewers were swept by the Texas Rangers. The Cubs still don’t have much of a chance of catching the Brewers, but the lead is down to 5.5 games and the Brewers’ magic number remained stuck.

The Cubs are trying to get to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, when they won the NL Central title during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. That ended a run of five playoff berths in six seasons, which included the 2016 World Series title, the franchise’s first championship in more than a century.

Chicago Cubs Magic Number Watch

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth: 8

Chicago Cubs Games Remaining: 16

Chicago Cubs Remaining Schedule: Sept. 12-14, vs. Tampa Bay; Sept. 15-17, at Pittsburgh; Sept. 18-21, at Cincinnati; Sept. 23-25 vs. New York Mets; Sept. 26-28, vs. St. Louis.

NL Wild Card Race (after Sept. 10)

Chicago Cubs: 83-63 (7.0 games ahead)

San Diego Padres: 79-67 (3.0 games ahead)

New York Mets: 76-70 (last wild card berth)

San Francisco Giants: 74-72 (2.0 games behind final berth)

Cincinnati Reds: 74-72 (2.0 games behind final berth)

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NL Central Update

Milwaukee Brewers: 89-59

Chicago Cubs: 83-63 (5.5 games behind)

Brewers Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 11

Brewers Games Remaining: 15

Milwaukee Brewers Remaining Schedule: Sept. 12-14, vs. St. Louis; Sept. 16-18, vs. Los Angeles Angels; Sept. 19-21, at St. Louis; Sept. 22-24 at San Diego; Sept. 26-28, vs. Cincinnati.

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