Chicago Cubs Trim Magic Number in NL Wild Card Race Despite Loss

The Chicago Cubs lost their second straight game to the Colorado Rockies but didn’t lose any ground to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central race.

The Cubs (78-69) have the day off on Thursday, but the Brewers do not, as they wrap up their series with the Miami Marlins. So there’s a chance the Cubs could pick up a half-game in the standings as they prepare for the start of their series with Arizona on Friday.

The Cubs’ chances of catching the Brewers are dwindling, but the Cubs and the Brewers do meet in the final series of the season.

As for the NL Wild Card race, the Cubs held steady in the second berth and maintained its two-game lead over the rest of the field. But the race behind them tightened further, with four teams separated by one game.

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

The NL Central Race as of Sept. 14

Wednesday’s Results

Colorado 7, Chicago Cubs 3

Miami 2, Milwaukee 0

Milwaukee (81-64): — (Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 13)

Chicago Cubs (78-69): 4.0 GB

What’s Left?

Milwaukee (17): Thursday: vs. Miami (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Washington (3); Sept. 18-21: at St. Louis (4); Sept. 22-24: at Miami (3); Sept. 26-28: vs. St. Louis (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Chicago Cubs (3)

Chicago Cubs (15): Friday-Sunday: at Arizona (3); Sept. 19-21: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Colorado (3); Sept. 26-28: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Milwaukee (3)

The NL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 14

Wednesday’s Results

Colorado 7, Chicago Cubs 3

Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 1

Miami 2, Milwaukee 0

New York Mets 7, Arizona 1

San Francisco 6, Cleveland 5

Cincinnati 4, Detroit 3

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Philadelphia (79-67): +3.5 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 13)

Chicago Cubs (78-69): +2.0 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 14)

Arizona (76-71): — (Magic Number to clinch: 16)

Cincinnati (76-71): — (Magic Number to clinch: 16)

San Francisco (75-71): 0.5 GB

Miami (75-71): 0.5 GB

What’s Left?

Philadelphia (16): Friday-Sunday: at St. Louis (3); Sept. 18-20: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 21-24: vs. New York Mets (4); Sept. 26-28: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at New York Mets (3)

Chicago Cubs (15): Friday-Sunday: at Arizona (3); Sept. 19-21: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Colorado (3); Sept. 26-28: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Milwaukee (3)

Arizona (15): Thursday: at New York Mets (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Chicago Cubs (3); Sept. 19-20: vs. San Francisco (2); Sept. 22-24: at New York Yankees (3); Sept. 25-27: at Chicago White Sox (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Houston (3)

Cincinnati (15): Thursday: at Detroit (1); Friday-Sunday: at New York Mets (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. Minnesota (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 26-27: at Cleveland (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at St. Louis (3)

Miami (16): Thursday: at Milwaukee (1); Friday-Sunday: vs. Atlanta (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. New York Mets (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Milwaukee (3); Sept. 26-28: at New York Mets (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Pittsburgh (3)

San Francisco (16): Thursday-Sunday: at Colorado (4); Sept. 19-20: at Arizona (2); Sept. 21-24: at Los Angeles Dodgers (4); Sept. 25-27: vs. San Diego (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3)