How Cubs Can Tackle Rest of Season to Avoid Brewers in Postseason

The Chicago Cubs are back in the mix for the second Wild Card spot in the MLB playoff picture and can avoid their division rival Milwaukee Brewers in the postseason.

The Chicago Cubs had the day off on Monday, holding the final National League Wild Card spot.

The Cubs enter Tuesday level with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the standings after the New York Yankees helped them by beating the Diamondbacks on Monday.

Chicago is still holding the final Wild Card spot due to tiebreaker rules, but they now have an opportunity to improve their playoff position in the final two series of the season.

If they're able to get into the second position, they'll avoid their division rival Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card round of the MLB playoffs.

With the Brewers almost certainly locked into the third seed, whoever finishes in the final Wild Card spot will travel to Milwaukee and face the NL Central winners.

The Cubs can avoid that with a good performance against the Atlanta Braves starting Tuesday.

While they are facing the NL's best team, Arizona is on the road playing the 96-loss Chicago White Sox, who have the second-worst run differential in the American League.

Chicago has to go into their series against the Braves with the mindset that the Diamondbacks are going to take care of business in theirs.

The Cubs can't afford to lose ground either, only sitting one game ahead of the Miami Marlins, who begin their series with the New York Mets on Tuesday as well.

To close out the season, the NL Central rivals will clash in a three-game set that could have major playoff implications and be a potential preview.

Winning these two series is a must for Chicago to not only get into the postseason, but avoid this matchup.

It will be a tightly contested race down the stretch as all three of these teams fight for their playoff lives to see who will travel to face the division winning Brewers.