Chicago Baseball Teams in Playoff Race

Current Baseball Season Sprint

The marathon of Major League Baseball is now in a September sprint with both the Cubs and White Sox aiming for playoff spots. The Cubs are finishing second in the National League Central for the fourth straight year, following the Milwaukee Brewers clinching their fourth consecutive division title. Meanwhile, the White Sox are contending closely with the Cleveland Guardians for the American League Central title, striving for a remarkable turnaround from being a last-place loser for three years.

The Cubs: Status and Performance

As of September 22, 2026, the Cubs’ record stands at 87-70. They hold a magic number of 1 to secure a wild-card spot, which depends on a combination of Cubs wins and Arizona Diamondbacks losses. Despite their recent 8-2 loss to the Miami Marlins, the Cubs have five games left to play. In the NL Central standings, the Brewers have already wrapped up the division. The Cubs, alongside the Phillies and Padres, are tied for the top wild-card spot, with the Diamondbacks trailing by four games. Fortunately, the Cubs have the tiebreaker advantage over these teams.

The Cubs last appeared in the playoffs in 2025 as the NL’s top wild card. They claimed victory over the Padres 2-1 in the wild-card series but were defeated by the Brewers 3-2 in the division series. Historically, the Cubs boast 22 postseason appearances, featuring eight division titles, four wild-card entries, 17 pennants, and three championships achieved in 1907, 1908, and 2016.

40-40 Club Watch

Pete Crow-Armstrong is eyeing to become the seventh MLB player to achieve 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season. He currently stands with 45 home runs and 39 stolen bases. Other players who have reached this milestone include:

• José Canseco with 42 home runs, 40 steals in 1988.
• Barry Bonds with 42 home runs, 40 steals in 1996.
• Alex Rodriguez with 42 home runs, 46 steals in 1998.
• Alfonso Soriano with 46 home runs, 41 steals in 2006.
• Ronald Acuna Jr. with 41 home runs, 73 steals in 2023.
• Shohei Ohtani with 54 home runs, 59 steals in 2024.

White Sox: Status and Performance

The White Sox hold a record of 81-76 through Tuesday, with a magic number of 3 for a wild-card spot. This number hinges on a combination of Sox wins and Houston Astros losses. The Sox recently secured a 14-11 victory over the Kansas City Royals, with five games left to play. They trail the first-place Guardians by one game in the AL Central standings. Should both teams end with identical records, the White Sox will win the division title by virtue of a tiebreaker.

In the AL wild-card race, the Sox are positioned at the No. 3 spot, three games ahead of the Texas Rangers and four ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays. Their last postseason appearance was in 2021 as the AL Central champions and the No. 3 seed in the AL, though they fell to the Astros 3-1 in the division series. Historically, the White Sox have partaken in 11 playoff runs, garnering six division titles, one wild-card entry, six pennants, and three championships in 1906, 1917, and 2005.

Upcoming Playoff Format

The playoff schedule is structured as follows:

• Wild-card round: Sept. 29 through Oct. 1, best of three, all at the higher seed. Matchups include No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed and No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed. Nos. 1 and 2 seeds receive byes.
• Division series: Oct. 3 through Oct. 10, with a best-of-five format (2-2-1). Matchups include No. 1 seed vs. winner of No. 4/5 and No. 2 seed vs. winner of No. 3/6.
• League Championship Series: Oct. 11 through Oct. 20, best of seven, arranged in a 2-3-2 format.
• World Series: Oct. 23 through Oct. 31, best of seven, also in a 2-3-2 format.