The marathon that is the Major League Baseball season is down to the final weekend, and the Cubs and White Sox are in the playoffs. It is only the fourth time in MLB history that both teams have made the postseason in the same year (1906, 2008 and 2020).
The Cubs will finish in second place in the National League Central for the fourth consecutive season — with the first-place Milwaukee Brewers having clinched their fourth straight division crown.
The White Sox, meanwhile, fell just short of pulling off a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround after losing more than 100 games each of the last three seasons.
Here’s where things stand.
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Cubs
Record: 89-73 in the regular season.
Sunday’s result: 6-2 win over the Red Sox, in Tampa, Fla.
NL wild card: The Cubs are locked in to the NL’s No. 5 seed and will face the fourth-seeded Padres in a best-of-three wild-card series beginning Tuesday in San Diego. The Phillies took the last wild-card spot and No. 6 seed after their win Sunday.
Chicago Cubs in the playoffs: Schedule set for NL wild-card round vs. San Diego Padres
Last playoff appearance: 2025 as the No. 4 seed in the NL as the top wild card. The Cubs beat the Padres 2-1 in the wild-card series before losing to the Brewers 3-2 in the division series.
Postseason history: 22 appearances in 150 seasons — eight division titles, four wild-card berths, 17 pennants and three championships (1907, 1908, 2016).
40-40 watch: Pete Crow-Armstrong on Thursday became the seventh player in MLB history to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. He ends the regular season with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases. The six who accomplished the feat before him:
- José Canseco, Athletics, 1988: 42 home runs, 40 stolen bases
- Barry Bonds, Giants, 1996: 42-40
- Alex Rodriguez, Mariners, 1998: 42-46
- Alfonso Soriano, Nationals, 2006: 46-41
- Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves, 2023: 41-73
- Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, 2024: 54-59
White Sox
Record: 84-78 through the regular season.
Sunday’s result: 4-2 win over the Rockies.
AL Central: The Guardians clinched the division title on Saturday and are the No. 2 seed in the American League with a first-round bye.
AL wild card: The Sox are locked in to the AL’s No. 6 seed and will travel to face the AL West-winning Houston Astros in a best-of-three wild-card series beginning Tuesday.
Last playoff appearance: 2021 as the AL Central champions and No. 3 seed in the AL. The White Sox lost to the Astros 3-1 in the division series.
Postseason history: 11 appearances in 125 seasons — six division titles, one wild-card berth, six pennants and three championships (1906, 1917, and 2005).
Playoff outlook
National League
Wild-card round
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Best-of-three series, all at higher seed
No. 5 Cubs at No. 4 Padres
At Petco Park in San Diego
- Game 1: Tuesday, 9 p.m.
- Game 2: Wednesday, 9 p.m.
- Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
No. 6 Phillies at No. 3 Braves
At Truist Park in Atlanta
- Game 1: Tuesday, 1 p.m.
- Game 2: Wednesday, 1 p.m.
- Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Nos. 1 and 2 seeds have byes
Division series
Oct. 3-10, best of five, 2-2-1 format
- No. 1 Brewers vs. Cubs/Padres winner
- No. 2 Dodgers vs. Braves/Phillies winner
Championship series
Oct. 11-20, best of seven, 2-3-2 format
American League
No. 6 White Sox at No. 3 Astros
At Daikin Park in Houston
- Game 1: Tuesday, 4 p.m.
- Game 2: Wednesday, 4 p.m.
- Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
No. 5 Red Sox at No. 4 Yankees
At Yankee Stadium in New York
- Game 1: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
- Game 2: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
- Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Nos. 1 and 2 seeds have byes
Division series
Oct. 3-10, best of five, 2-2-1 format
- No. 1 Rays vs. Yankees/Red Sox winner
- No. 2 Guardians vs. White Sox/Astros winner
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Championship series
Oct. 11-20, best of seven, 2-3-2 format
World Series
Oct. 23-31, best of seven, 2-3-2 format