Cubs and White Sox in Playoff Hunt

The Major League Baseball season is approaching its climax, with both the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox in pursuit of playoff spots. As the season heads into its final stretch, the Cubs appear poised for a solid finish in the National League Central, while the White Sox are locked in a fierce battle for the American League Central title.

Cubs

As of Monday, the Cubs have a record of 83-67. Their current standing suggests they will finish second in the NL Central for the fourth year running, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers who are eyeing their fourth consecutive division title. Despite Sunday’s narrow 4-3 defeat against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Cubs are hopeful of securing a wild-card spot. Their magic number to clinch this is nine. Presently, they hold the top spot in the NL wild card race, equal with the Phillies and ahead of the Padres by 1.5 games. The Diamondbacks also remain contenders, trailing the Padres by 2.5 games.

Historically, the Cubs have made 22 playoff appearances over 150 seasons. They boast eight division titles, four wild-card qualifications, 17 pennants, and three championships claimed in 1907, 1908, and 2016. In the postseason, they last appeared in 2025, entering as the top wild card before beating the Padres in a wild-card series and losing to the Brewers in the division series.

A highlight for the Cubs this season is Pete Crow-Armstrong’s pursuit of the rare 40-40 achievement, aiming to join the exclusive group of players with 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. As of now, he has accumulated 41 home runs and 36 stolen bases. Notable members of this club include José Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Shohei Ohtani.

White Sox

The White Sox currently hold a record of 76-73, sitting ½ game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians in the race for the AL Central crown. Their magic number is 13. Despite a 3-1 setback against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, the White Sox remain determined in their quest for a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround, after enduring over 100 losses for each of the last three seasons.

The White Sox’s postseason record includes 11 appearances across 125 seasons. They have secured six division titles, one wild-card berth, six pennants, and three championship titles in 1906, 1917, and 2005. Their last playoff showing was in 2021, when they were AL Central champions but lost to the Astros in the division series.

Playoff Format

The MLB playoffs begin with the wild-card round from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. This best-of-three series will see the No. 5 seed face the No. 4 seed and the No. 6 seed compete against the No. 3 seed—all held at the higher seed’s venue. The top two seeds receive byes.

The division series spans Oct. 3-10, with teams competing in a best-of-five, 2-2-1 format. The No. 1 seed will play the winner of the No. 4/5 game, while the No. 2 seed faces the victor of the No. 3/6 matchup.

The League Championship Series runs from Oct. 11-20, following a 2-3-2 best-of-seven format. This leads to the World Series, held from Oct. 23-31, also in a best-of-seven, 2-3-2 format.