Here’s the Cubs’ magic number for an MLB playoff berth that originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Cubs have only qualified for the playoffs once since 2018, but they hope to reverse that trend this season as the season is at its peak.
Currently, the Cubs are 74-64 on the season, and while they are 2.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central, they do control their own destiny in the wild card race, leading the Cincinnati by three games. . Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks.
This is the standings when we start the game on Tuesday:
Phillies-76-61
Cubs – 74-64
Diamond Backs – 71-67
Red – 72-68
Marlins – 70-67 (0.5 GB)
Giants – 70-68 (1 GB)
So what is the Cubs’ “magic number” for reaching the playoffs?
Simply put, the “magic number” illustrates the number of wins a team needs, combined with the number of losses from an opponent chasing them in the standings, to clinch a place in the playoffs.
Currently, the Reds are technically the team in the first non-playoff spot in the wild card race, just percentage points behind the Diamondbacks in the standings.
Applying the MLB’s formula, the Cubs’ current magic number to secure at least a wild card berth currently stands at 21.
The Cubs will also have to make sure they finish ahead of the Reds in the standings. Cincinnati will hold the end-of-season tiebreaker against the Cubs after winning seven of the thirteen games the two clubs played during the regular season.
The Cubs also lose tiebreaks to the Phillies and Marlins, but are currently ahead of the Giants in that regard. The Cubs have yet to play the Diamondbacks this season, but have seven games left against Arizona in the coming weeks.
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