Cubs Blast Mets To Cut Magic Number To Clinch Top NL Wild Card Seed In Half

The Cubs cut their magic number by two on Wednesday. First, the San Diego Padres were at home and fell to the Milwaukee Brewers. That dropped the Cubs’ magic number to claim the No. 4 seed from four to three. Then, the Cubs blew out the Mets to drop the number to two.

Chicago won’t be able to clinch the seed on Thursday as it wraps up its series with the Mets. The Padres are off. But the Cubs can trim the magic number to one with a victory. Friday would be the earliest for Chicago to clinch the seed, which comes with a best-of-3 wild card series at home that will start on Tuesday.

There is drama happening behind the Cubs and Padres. The Cubs’ win over the Mets, who held the final wild card berth going into Wednesday, left a door open for the Cincinnati Reds to tie the Mets for the final wild card berth with four games remaining. Cincinnati set itself up to contend down the stretch by sweeping the Cubs in a four-game series last weekend.

But the Reds lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second straight game, leaving them one game back. Cincinnati can still overcome New York. But the Reds head to Milwaukee to end the season, making their road more difficult. The Mets face the Miami Marlins to end the season. If the Mets and Reds end in up in a tie, the Reds have the tiebreaker.

The Cubs are seeking their first trip to the World Series since 2016, when they ended the franchise’s 100-plus year drought and ended the “Curse of the Billy Goat” with a seven-game series victory over the Cleveland Guardians.

Chicago Cubs Magic Number Watch

Magic Number to Clinch No. 4 Seed: 2

Chicago Cubs Games Remaining: 4

Chicago Cubs Remaining Schedule: Sept. 25 vs. New York Mets; Sept. 26-28, vs. St. Louis.

NL Wild Card Race (after Sept. 24)

Chicago Cubs: 89-69 (7.0 games ahead)

San Diego Padres: 87-72 (5.5 games ahead)

New York Mets: 81-77 (final wild card berth)