The Major League Baseball (MLB) season has reached its final stretch as teams race towards playoff spots. Both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox are in contention, each fighting for a chance to compete in the postseason.
Cubs
The Cubs are set to finish in second place in the National League (NL) Central for the fourth year straight. The Milwaukee Brewers have already secured the division title. As of Saturday, September 19, 2026, the Cubs’ season record stands at 86-69. With a win against the Cincinnati Reds by 5-2, their magic number for a wild card spot is down to 2. This number is a combination of Cubs’ wins and Arizona Diamondbacks’ losses. The Cubs have seven games remaining in the season.
In the NL wild card race, the Cubs are tied for the top position with the San Diego Padres. They have a one-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, who lost recently. The Diamondbacks are trailing the Phillies by four games. The Cubs have the advantage of owning the tiebreaker against all three competing teams.
The Cubs last made the playoffs in 2025 as the NL’s No. 4 seed and leading wild card. They beat the Padres in the wild-card series but were later defeated by the Brewers in the division series. Over their long history, the Cubs have made 22 postseason appearances, capturing eight division titles and three championships, with the latest one in 2016.
First baseman Pete Crow-Armstrong is on a path to joining an exclusive group by hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in a single season. He currently has 44 home runs and 37 stolen bases. Previous players who achieved this feat include José Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Shohei Ohtani.
White Sox
The White Sox are in a tight race with the Cleveland Guardians for the American League (AL) Central title. After a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on September 19, 2026, the White Sox’s record is 79-76. Their magic number for a wild card spot is currently 6, which is a combination of White Sox wins and Houston Astros’ losses.
Trailing the Guardians by just one game, the White Sox own the tiebreaker and could take the division if both teams finish with the same record. In the AL wild card standings, the White Sox hold the No. 3 position. They lead the Astros by two games and the Toronto Blue Jays by three games, while the Baltimore Orioles are four games behind.
The last playoff run for the White Sox was in 2021 as the AL Central champions. They were knocked out by the Astros in the division series. Across 125 seasons, they have reached the postseason 11 times, winning three championships, the latest being in 2005.
Playoff Format
The MLB playoff structure this year features two initial wild card rounds from September 29 to October 1 in a best-of-three format, played entirely at the higher seed’s stadium. Matchups include the No. 5 seed playing at the No. 4 seed, while the No. 6 seed visits the No. 3 seed. Teams holding the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds will receive byes.
Subsequent division series will run from October 3-10, played as best-of-five in a 2-2-1 format. The League Championship Series will take place from October 11-20 in a 2-3-2 format. Finally, the World Series is scheduled from October 23-31, also in a 2-3-2 format.