Here’s the Cubs’ magic number for an MLB playoff spot originally appeared 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 reaches its stretch.
The Cubs are currently 74-64 on the season, and still going Milwaukee Brewers by 2.5 games in the National League Central, they control their own destiny in the wild-card race, with a three-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds i Arizona Diamondbacks.
Here are the standings when we go into action on Tuesday:
Phillies – 76-61
Cubs – 74-64
Diamondbacks – 71-67
Reds – 72-68
marlins – 70-67 (0.5GB)
Giants: 70-68 (1GB)
So what is the Cubs’ “magic number” to make the playoffs?
Simply put, the “magic number” illustrates the number of wins a team needs, combined with the number of losses to an opponent chasing them in the standings, to clinch a playoff berth.
The Reds are currently technically the first non-playoff team in the wild card race, just percentage points behind the Diamondbacks in the standings.
applying the formula provided by MLB, The Cubs’ current magic number to clinch at least a wild-card spot is currently 21.
The Cubs will also need to make sure they finish ahead of the Reds in the standings. Cincinnati will hold the tiebreaker over the Cubs at season finale, having won seven of the 13 games the two clubs played during the regular season.
The Cubs also lose tiebreakers to the Phillies and Marlins, but currently hold the edge over the Giants in that regard. The Cubs have yet to play the Diamondbacks this season, but they have seven games left against Arizona in the coming weeks.
