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Cubs Magic Number Chase for NL Wild Card Berth on Hold After Braves Loss

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI | By Matt Postins | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 7:45 AM ET

The Chicago Cubs started their three-game series with the Atlanta Braves with a 4-1 loss on Monday as they attempt to trim their magic number for a playoff berth.

The Cubs (81-63) got outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong back from a minor injury and hope to have another outfielder, Kyle Tucker, back as early as Tuesday. The Cubs' offense scored just one run, as third baseman Matt Shaw drove in his 37th run of the season. The Atlanta lineup got to Chicago left-hander Shota Imanaga, who gave up five hits and three earned runs in six innings. A solid start wasn’t enough.

But the Cubs could shrink their magic number another way, but they had to wait for west coast baseball to end.

Cubs Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth

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Chicago’s magic number to clinch that playoff berth was 11 going into Monday’s action. The loss didn’t help. But since the Cubs were on the east coast, that gave them time to watch the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds, who were tied behind the final wild card berth.

The Giants won their game, defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks, 11-5. That put the Cubs’ magic number push on hold regardless of what Cincinnati did.

In the NL Central race, the Milwaukee Brewers lost to the Texas Rangers, 5-0, but because the Cubs lost, they didn’t gain any ground. The Brewers remain 7.5 games ahead of the Cubs and their magic number to clinch the NL Central is 11.

The Cubs are trying to get to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, when they won the NL Central title during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. That ended a run of five playoff berths in six seasons, which included the 2016 World Series title, the franchise’s first championship in more than a century.

Chicago Cubs Magic Number Watch

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Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth: 11

Chicago Cubs Games Remaining: 18

Chicago Cubs Remaining Schedule: Sept. 9-10, at Atlanta; Sept. 12-14, vs. Tampa Bay; Sept. 15-17, at Pittsburgh; Sept. 18-21, at Cincinnati; Sept. 23-25 vs. New York Mets; Sept. 26-28, vs. St. Louis.

NL Wild Card Race (after Sept. 8)

Chicago Cubs: 81-63 (5.0 games ahead)

San Diego Padres: 79-65 (2.0 games ahead)

New York Mets: 76-68 (tied with Padres)

San Francisco Giants: 73-71 (3.0 games behind final berth)

NL Central Update

Milwaukee Brewers: 89-56

Chicago Cubs: 81-63 (7.5 games behind)

Brewers Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 11

Brewers Games Remaining: 17

Milwaukee Brewers Remaining Schedule: Sept. 9-10, at Texas; Sept. 12-14, vs. St. Louis; Sept. 16-18, vs. Los Angeles Angels; Sept. 19-21, at St. Louis; Sept. 22-24 at San Diego; Sept. 26-28, vs. Cincinnati.

This article first appeared on Chicago Cubs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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