Cubs Clinch Playoffs for Second Year in a Row, Work Remains for Top Wild Card Spot

With three games to spare, the Chicago Cubs have booked their ticket.

Thanks to a 2-1 win over the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field on Thursday (which also saw PCA join the 40/40 Club), the organization will compete in the MLB postseason for the second consecutive year. In a similar fashion, they will have to start their playoff run in the Wild Card round. Thanks to the continued dominance of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs have struggled again to steal the top spot in the NL Central.

To be sure, Craig Counsell had a chance to get revenge on his former team. The Cubs were within striking distance in August, only to sputter largely due to bullpen woes. Milwaukee also proceeded to split the second-to-last series between the two teams before sweeping the final set. This also played a role in the Wild Card race tightening up significantly down the stretch.

But the Cubs have finally sealed the deal.

The season as a whole has been one to remember. It started on a very streaky note, which included the Cubs rattling off an impressive ten-game winning streak. They followed this up soon after with a ten-game losing streak, making some fans uneasy about where their offense stood. Converting with runners in scoring position, in particular, was a major issue.

Pitching injuries were also a huge part of the story. The Cubs watched a long list of starters and relievers hit the IL for extended stretches. To Chicago's credit, however, they righted the ship and started to look like a bona fide playoff threat. This is exactly what drove Jed Hoyer to act as one of the most aggressive teams in baseball at the trade deadline.

Chicago addressed their starting pitching problems by adding veterans Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes. They also got their hands on Angels reliever Ryan Zeferjahn and outfielder Tyrone Taylor. All have contributed consistently during this second half and will have to remain a big part of the equation come playoff time. This is particularly true for the two starting arms, who will almost surely be in the slimmed-down postseason rotation.

The Cubs may not be riding the highest of highs heading into next week, but they have done enough this season to look like a scary out. Pete Crow-Armstrong and this offense have been especially dynamic, and they have already proven capable of handling their current Wild Card competition.

Speaking of which ...

Can the Cubs Now Lock Up Home Field Advantage?

Sep 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The bench celebrates after Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong scores against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the champagne will be flowing in the Wrigley Field clubhouse this afternoon, the Chicago Cubs' work is far from done. So ... drink responsibly!

The Cubs remain in a tight race for the top Wild Card spot. Home-field advantage is on the line, and the Cubs saw just how beneficial that can be in last year's postseason. To clinch a spot in the NLDS, they used a rowdy crowd at the Friendly Confines to beat the Padres in a do-or-die Game 3.

Once again, San Diego is the very team breathing down the Cubs' neck. They have been tied with the Cubs for the last handful of days, only to take the No. 1 spot on Wednesday night. The Philadelphia Phillies are also very much in the mix and will look to remain tied with the Cubs tonight against the Brewers. The good news for the Cubs is that they own the tiebreaker over both teams thanks to holding the advantage in the regular-season series. The bad news is that there are still five games to go.

Every game matters if the Cubs want to avoid adding a road trip to the calendar. Yes, clinching the playoffs is a weight off their shoulders, but they now want to do everything they can to give themselves an edge in October. Oh, and they will have to do it during a potentially historic rainstorm out East!

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