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Cubs Magic Number For Playoff Berth Drops Again After Victory Over Braves

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI | By Matt Postins | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves, 4-3, on Tuesday night and it turned out to be a great evening on multiple fronts.

Left-hander Shota Imanaga (9-6) came up with the victory, while Daniel Palencia finished off the game for his 22nd save of the season. Kyle Tucker hit his 22nd home run of the season and drove in three runs. Ian Happ drove in a run as well.

Even better, the Cubs (80-59) received plenty of help when it comes to their chances of clinching a playoff berth and even making one final run at the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central race, as crazy as that may sound.

Cubs Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth

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The Cubs’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth after Tuesday’s win dropped to 14. How? Two ways. First, Chicago entered the day with a magic number of 16. So anytime the Cubs win a game the number drops by one. Second, the Cincinnati Reds, who are the first team outside the wild card berths, lost to the Toronto Blue Jays. That allowed the Cubs to trim their magic number further to 14.

Right now, it’s a combination of Cubs wins and Reds losses that will get Chicago into the playoffs for the first time in five years. But, what about the NL Central?

Milwaukee was off on Tuesday, a strange off day brought on by a Monday Labor Day game between the Brewers and the Phillies. Because the Brewers were off, the Cubs gained a half-game on Milwaukee in the division race and are now five games back. Whether the Cubs can catch the Brewers will come down to whether Chicago can keep this hot streak going.

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: 14

Chicago Cubs Games Remaining: 23

Chicago Cubs Remaining Schedule: Sept. 3, vs. Atlanta; Sept. 5-7, vs. Washington; Sept. 8-10, 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. 2)

Chicago Cubs: 80-59 (5.0 games ahead)

San Diego Padres: 76-63 (1.0 games ahead)

New York Mets: 75-64 (final berth)

Cincinnati Reds: 70-69 (5.0 games behind final berth)

San Francisco Giants: 70-69 (5.0 games behind final berth)

NL Central Update

Milwaukee Brewers: 85-54

Chicago Cubs: 80-59 (5.0 games behind)

Brewers Number to Clinch Playoff Berth: 9

Brewers Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 19

Brewers Games Remaining: 23

Milwaukee Brewers Remaining Schedule: Sept. 3-4, vs. Philadelphia; Sept. 5-7, at Pittsburgh; Sept. 8-10, 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.

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

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