The Cubs will be part of MLB’s post-season tournament this season. The Cubs clinched a spot in the playoffs late Friday night when the Giants lost 5-4 to the Athletics in Oakland.
The Cubs are in the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
With the loss Friday afternoon to the Pirates, the Cubs were not able to celebrate on the field. But what matters is getting into the dance, once in anything can happen.
The Cubs will enter play Saturday afternoon 4 ½ games back of the Pirates for home field advantage in the NL Wild Card Game. If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Cubs would make the trip to Pittsburgh while the Cardinals waited at home to face the winner of the Wild Card Game.
The Cardinals lost Friday in Milwaukee and have only a three game lead over the Pirates in the division. All three teams from the NL Central are in the tournament, but where the Cubs play the Wild Card Game is far from decided. The Pirates and Cardinals have three games left on the schedule (Sept. 28-30 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh).
The Cubs have lined up Jake Arrieta to start the NL Wild Card Game. And depending on the next 10 days, the Cubs will likely face Gerrit Cole on Oct. 7 at PNC Park.
With the ‘x’ next to the Cubs in the standings, the Cubs will start talking about the Wild Card roster.
The Cubs are 89-64 on the season. With one more victory, this team will post the sixth 90-win season since 1969. There have been five teams in the last 46 years to win 90 or more games in a single season … 1969 (92), 1984 (96), 1989 (93), 1998 (90) and 2008 (97). Between 1935 and 1969, only three teams won 90 or more games.