{"id":92313,"date":"2025-09-13T13:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T13:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=92313"},"modified":"2025-09-13T13:52:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T13:52:07","slug":"cubs-cut-magic-number-to-clinch-nl-playoff-berth-after-beating-rays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=92313","title":{"rendered":"Cubs Cut Magic Number To Clinch NL Playoff Berth After Beating Rays"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The Chicago Cubs made more inroads into their magic number to clinch a National League wild card playoff berth with their 6-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.<\/p>\n

That pursuit, measured by the so-called magic number, dropped to seven after the Cubs (84-63) claimed the victory in a Friday afternoon showdown at Wrigley Field. While Ian Happ went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a home run for the Cubs, Dansby Swanson doubled, and Moises Ballesteros tripled to help the offense. Left-hander Matthew Boyd (13-8) allowed all four Rays runs, but claimed the win while Andrew Kittredge claimed another save.<\/p>\n

Chicago’s focus is on claiming that playoff berth and remaining at the top of the wild card playoff seeding, which comes with a home series.<\/p>\n

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Matt Marton-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Entering Friday\u2019s game, the Cubs had a magic number of eight to claim a NL playoff berth. The magic number is a combination of Chicago wins and losses by either San Francisco or Cincinnati. Once the number reaches zero, the Cubs can celebrate a playoff berth.<\/p>\n

The victory over the Rays on Friday helped drop that magic number. Chicago gets two more shots at the Rays, who are out of the American League playoff race, before the series ends on Sunday at Wrigley Field.<\/p>\n

The San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-1, meaning that Chicago\u2019s magic number dropped no further.<\/p>\n

In the NL Central race, the Milwaukee Brewers ended their three-game losing streak and beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 8-2. That dropped the Brewers\u2019 magic number to win the division to 10 games.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s first championship in more than a century.<\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs Magic Number Watch<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/canvas>\"Cubs<\/picture><\/figure>\n

Matt Marton-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth: <\/strong>7<\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs Games Remaining: <\/strong>15<\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs Remaining Schedule: <\/strong>Sept. 13-14, 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.<\/p>\n

NL Wild Card Race (after Sept. 12)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Chicago Cubs: 84-63 (8.5 games ahead)<\/p>\n

San Diego Padres: 80-68 (4.0 games ahead)<\/p>\n

New York Mets: 76-72 (last wild card berth)<\/p>\n

San Francisco Giants: 75-72 (0.5 games behind final berth)<\/p>\n

Cincinnati Reds: 74-73 (1.5 games behind final berth)<\/p>\n

NL Central Update<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Milwaukee Brewers: 90-58<\/p>\n

Chicago Cubs: 84-63 (5.5 games behind)<\/p>\n

Brewers Magic Number to clinch NL Central<\/strong>: 10<\/p>\n

Brewers Games Remaining<\/strong>: 14<\/p>\n

Milwaukee Brewers Remaining Schedule: <\/strong>Sept. 13-14, 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.<\/p>\n

The Latest Chicago Cubs News<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/p>\n

Rays vs Cubs Preview (9\/13\/25): Start Time, Pitchers, How To Watch & Live Stream<\/p>\n

Cubs Trade Deadline Acquisition Closer To Returning After Injury<\/p>\n

Cubs Legend Anthony Rizzo Shares Hilarious Goal For Wrigley Field Ceremony<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Cubs made more inroads into their magic number to clinch a National League wild card playoff berth with their 6-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Fri<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":92316,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nCubs Cut Magic Number To Clinch NL Playoff Berth After Beating Rays - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=92313\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cubs Cut Magic Number To Clinch NL Playoff Berth After Beating Rays - 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