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The Chicago Cubs are trying to set aside four years of failing to reach the National League playoffs by either winning the NL Central or claiming one of the league’s three wild card berths.
The Cubs aren’t there yet, though they have a healthy lead in the NL wild card race as they continue a series with the Toronto Blue Jays this week. On Tuesday, Major League Baseball released the initial postseason schedule, giving Chicago a glimpse into what their potential playoff path could be.
Assuming the Cubs end up as a wild card team, their seeding will determine whether they host the entire wild card series, which is best-of-three, or are on the road for all three games. A No. 4 seed would keep them at Wrigley Field while a No. 5 or No. 6 seed would put the Cubs on the road.
The wild card playoffs start on Sept. 30, two days after the regular season.
If Chicago manages to track down Milwaukee in the NL Central and claim the division title, it will still play in the wild card round if the Cubs are the No. 3 seed.
The Cubs not only need to win the division but finish as one of the top two seeded division winners to bypass the wild card round and host a divisional round series, which would start on Saturday, Oct. 4. That would be of great benefit to Chicago, as it would give it six days off before the opener.
The National League Championship Series will start on Monday, Oct. 13.
Whether Chicago is at home or on the road to start the series will depend on seeding. Should the Cubs advance to the World Series, the Fall Classic would start on Friday, Oct. 24, with Game 1 at the home stadium of the team with the better record in the regular season.
About Chicago Cubs in Playoffs
Chicago ended its “Curse of the Billy Goat” when it won the World Series in 2016. It was the third title in franchise history, with the other two back in 1907 and 1908. After the 2016 title, the Cubs claimed a National League Central title in 2017, an NL wild card berth in 2018 and another NL Central title in 2020. Chicago has finished in second place in the division each of the last two years.
The Cubs have won 14 other NL pennants, aside from their three World Series titles — 1876, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1906, 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, 1938 and 1945. The Cubs won the NL East Division crown in 1984 and 1989 and claimed additional NL wild card berths in 1998 and 2015.
MLB 2025 Postseason Schedule
Wild Card (best-of-three)
Tuesday, Sept. 30
ALWC A, Game 1
ALWC B, Game 1
NLWC A, Game 1
NLWC B, Game 1
(all games on ESPN platforms)
Wednesday, Oct. 1
ALWC A, Game 2
ALWC B, Game 2
NLWC A, Game 2
NLWC B, Game 2
(all games on ESPN platforms)
Thursday, Oct. 2
ALWC A, Game 3 (if necessary)
ALWC B, Game 3 (if necessary)
NLWC A, Game 3 (if necessary)
NLWC B, Game 3 (if necessary)
(all games on ESPN platforms)
Division Series
(best-of-five)
Saturday, Oct. 4
ALDS A, Game 1, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
ALDS B, Game 1, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
NLDS A, Game 1, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
NLDS B, Game 1, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
Sunday, Oct. 5
ALDS A, Game 2, FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
ALDS B, Game 2, FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
Monday, Oct. 6
NLDS A, Game 2 TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
NLDS B, Game 2, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
Tuesday, Oct. 7
ALDS A, Game 3, FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
ALDS B, Game 3, FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
Wednesday, Oct. 8
NLDS A, Game 3, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
NLDS B, Game 3, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
ALDS A, Game 4 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
ALDS B, Game 4 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
Thursday, Oct. 9
NLDS A, Game 4 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
NLDS B, Game 4 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
Friday, Oct. 10
ALDS A, Game 5 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
ALDS B, Game 5 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/Fox Deportes
Saturday, Oct. 11
NLDS A, Game 5 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
NLDS B, Game 5 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
League Championship Series
(best-of-seven)
Sunday, Oct. 12
ALCS Game 1, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Monday, Oct. 13
NLCS Game 1, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
ALCS Game 2, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Tuesday, Oct. 14
NLCS Game 2, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
Wednesday, Oct. 15
ALCS Game 3, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Thursday, Oct. 16
NLCS Game 3, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
ALCS Game 4, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Friday, Oct. 17
NLCS Game 4, TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
ALCS Game 5 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Saturday, Oct. 18
NLCS Game 5 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
Sunday, Oct. 19
ALCS Game 6 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Monday, Oct. 20
NLCS Game 6 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
ALCS Game 7 (if necessary), FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes
Tuesday, Oct. 21
NLCS Game 7 (if necessary), TBS, truTV, HBO MAX
World Series
(best-of-seven)
Friday, Oct. 24
Game 1 (at better 2025 record), FOX/FOX Deportes
Saturday, Oct. 25
Game 2 (at better 2025 record), FOX/FOX Deportes
Monday, Oct. 27
Game 3, FOX/FOX Deportes
Tuesday, Oct. 28
Game 4, FOX/FOX Deportes
Wednesday, Oct. 29
Game 5 (if necessary), FOX/FOX Deportes
Friday, Oct. 31
Game 6 (if necessary, at better 2025 record), FOX/FOX Deportes
Saturday, Nov. 1
Game 7 (if necessary, at better 2025 record), FOX/FOX Deportes
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