Takeaways After Cubs Slip in Wild Card After Failing to Clinch Again in Loss to Miami

The Cubs don't have time to play with their food. It's time to clinch a postseason spot.

For the 2nd game in a row, the Chicago Cubs have failed to punch their playoff ticket, losing 3-2 Tuesday night to the Miami Marlins. Kevin Gausman looked excellent through five innings but ran into some trouble in the 6th and left on a tag play at 3B.

The Cubs' offense threatened multiple times, but much like Monday night, the bats found the game-tying knock but never the big inning needed to take the lead. Sandy Alcantara entered the 9th inning and picked up his 2nd save of the season, sealing a Cubs series loss with 4 games left in the regular season.

With the loss, the Cubs drop to a tie with the Phillies for 2nd place in the NL Wild Card, with the Padres taking a 1-game lead for the top spot. The Diamondbacks also won again; they're on a 4-game winning streak right now and sit three games back of a Wild Card spot.

It's not a lot of breathing room for the Cubs, who do hold the tie-breaker against all of the remaining NL Wild Card-eligible teams. But losing two in a row to the playoff-eliminated Marlins at home is not how the Cubs want to end potentially their final home series of 2026.

Feeling the loss of Alex Bregman already

Sep 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ (8) and first baseman Michael Busch (29) celebrate after scoring against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was a night that would have been nice to have Alex Bregman take some at-bats in key moments. Thinking about him hitting somewhere between Seiya Suzuki, Michal Busch, and Michael Conforto makes me think the Cubs would have pushed at least a few more runs across against Marlins starter Ryan Gusto.

Bregman's had an incredible second half, seeing his OPS jump from .696 in the first half to an impressive .978, which leads all 3B currently. Bregman had been turning out one of his best months yet this September, with a .968 OPS and 3 home runs before Sunday's freak injury put his season at risk.

The Cubs lacked extra-base power again. They did get two doubles from Conforto and Ian Happ, with Happ coming around and eventually scoring on Dansby Swanson's game-tying single in the bottom of the 6th, but it wasn't enough.

that's big time, dansby! pic.twitter.com/WhYABHS8Y8
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 24, 2026

Amaya would end the inning by getting three straight sliders from Michael Peterson, as the Cubs again failed to take the lead, going 1-8 with RISP. Craig Counsell called the team out in the postgame for not creating anything on offense. It just felt like if Bregman had come up in any of these moments, he might have made a difference.

Kevin Gausman made one mistake

Sep 23, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Kevin Gausman (12) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kevin Gausman had another solid outing after a seven-day rest from his last start back on August 15th against the Braves. Gausman went 5.2 innings, allowing six hits with seven strikeouts. His only mistake came in the top of the 6th — a 2-run home run to Kyle Stowers.

Kyle Stowers YOU have a home run on back-to-back nights 🫵 pic.twitter.com/NHhCwORIxN
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) September 24, 2026

Stowers homered on back-to-back nights for the Marlins. Gausman would exit the game later in the inning after a diving tag play he made while covering 3B to nab Heriberto Hernandez.

Craig Counsell on Kevin Gausman exiting the game in the 6th: "His left shoulder got extended kind of weird. Just grabbed on him a little bit. He's a little sore right now, but we'll treat it and see how he is in the next couple of days." pic.twitter.com/frCQ72S7lV
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 24, 2026

Craig Counsell said Gausman's left shoulder was sore after the play, mentioning he possibly overextended his shoulder. Gausman himself said in postgame he banged it good but felt like it was just a couple-day thing. It's safe to say this was Gausman's last start before the postseason, especially after falling awkwardly on his shoulder.

Javier Assad closed out the last of the 6th with Ryan Rolison entering the game in the 7th and eventually taking the loss, allowing a run on an overturned double-play. Had the double-play stood, a slick underhand toss from Nico Hoerner to Swanson, it would have ended the inning still tied. Instead, a run scores and Rolison gets charged with the loss.

Tough two games at home for the Cubs.

Jed Hoyer holds court in Cubs dugout

May 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer (left) talks with shortstop Dansby Swanson (right) before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The big news from Jed Hoyer's press conference on Monday was that Alex Bregman wants to try to play in the regular season. It's bold yet promising that Bregman is even considering that as an option. Hoyer was also asked about Justin Steele factoring into the rotation picture for their final series in Boston, which is also encouraging.

Nevertheless, the Cubs postseason rotation is in a good spot, especially after two good outings from Shota Imanaga and Gausman. Things get more complicated once they leave for Boston, though, with the Cubs still needing to clinch a playoff spot while also setting up their postseason rotation. Hoyer alluded to that on Monday as well. The team needs to secure a playoff berth before they can truly start setting arms aside for October.

They'll send Matthew Boyd to the mound Thursday for the regular season finale at Wrigley Field, facing Tyler Phillips of the Marlins -- the last 1:20 pm game of 2026.

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