The Chicago Cubs will not only be in the postseason for the first time since 2020, but they\u2019ll host the National League wild-card series against the San Diego Padres.<\/p>\n
The Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 on Saturday to secure home-field advantage come the playoffs.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets are tied at 83-78 for the NL\u2019s third and final wild-card spot. The Reds beat the Milwaukee Brewers 7-4 on Saturday, while the Mets blanked the Miami Marlins 5-0.<\/p>\n
Heading into their final games of the regular season on Sunday, Cincinnati owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over New York. The Reds make the playoffs with a win against the Brewers or a Mets loss to the Marlins.<\/p>\n
Do you want the good news or the bad news first?<\/p>\n
With Saturday\u2019s victory, the Cubs clinched home-field advantage against the Padres in the wild-card round. That matchup becomes even more challenging after the pregame move that placed Cade Horton on the 15-day injured list with a fractured right rib, which puts his entire postseason in jeopardy.<\/p>\n
\u201cCade\u2019s been incredible,\u201d winning pitcher Jameson Taillon said after striking out eight and limiting the Cardinals to one run over six innings. \u201cHe picked us up a lot this year when I was down for a while, when Shota (Imanaga) was down for a while. So now it\u2019s our turn to try to pick him up and make sure he can hopefully play a part as we get going into the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cubs (91-70) have not hosted a full-capacity crowd for a postseason game since 2018. Their last playoff appearance was a brief one after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when they scored one run during two losses to the Marlins. That bleak scene foreshadowed an organizational rebuild.<\/p>\n
In trying to secure home-field advantage \u2014 and while bracing for a Horton setback \u2014 the Cubs rearranged their rotation and moved up Taillon from Sunday\u2019s Game 162. Five days from now, Taillon (11-7, 3.68 ERA) could be starting an elimination game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t been told anything, but I\u2019m definitely going to be prepared for anything,\u201d Taillon said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what the exact role will be, or what will be asked, but I\u2019ll make sure I\u2019m ready for it.\u201d \u2014 Patrick Mooney, Cubs beat writer<\/em><\/p>\n The Reds used a six-run third inning against Brewers starter Robert Gasser and All-Star Jacob Misiorowski to hold off Milwaukee and enter the last day tied with the Mets for the third and final wild-card spot.<\/p>\n Cincinnati holds the tiebreaker over the Mets, thanks to winning four of the six matchups between the two teams this season, meaning they\u2019re in with a win Sunday. A Mets\u2019 loss on Sunday would also send the Reds to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers in the Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday.<\/p>\n While everything is on the line for the Reds on Sunday, the Philadelphia Phillies\u2019 5-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Saturday clinched home-field advantage for the Brewers throughout the playoffs. Milwaukee (96-65) sends 17-game winner Freddy Peralta to the mound against the Reds\u2019 Brady Singer. \u2014 C. Trent Rosecrans<\/em><\/p>\n Clay Holmes provided the Mets exactly what they needed and then some with a quality start. Despite appearing in Wednesday\u2019s game, he threw six scoreless innings Saturday. After spending the previous six seasons as a reliever, he made 31 starts and had a 3.53 ERA. Since mid-June, he has thrown six innings in just one game (on Aug. 23). Undoubtedly, this was his best moment.<\/p>\n After receiving length from Holmes, manager Carlos Mendoza went to relievers Brooks Raley (13 pitches), Tyler Rogers (11 pitches) and Edwin D\u00edaz (13 pitches) for one inning each. None of them pitched Friday. The Mets don\u2019t have a long list of great pitching options; it was imperative for their go-to arms to not be running on fumes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unknown yet who the Mets will start Sunday, though David Peterson and Sean Manaea are among the options. The biggest key, however, is that virtually the whole staff is available. \u2014 Will Sammon, Mets beat writer<\/em><\/p>\n (Photo of Cubs\u2019 Michael Busch celebrating a home run: Geoff Stellfox \/ Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Reds and Mets are tied for the NL’s third and final wild-card spot, but Cincinnati can clinch a berth with a win or a New York loss.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":99750,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[282,284,44,17],"class_list":["post-99742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-cincinnati-reds","tag-mlb","tag-new-york-mets"],"yoast_head":"\nReds 7, Brewers 4<\/h2>\n
Reds\u2019 playoff hopes come down to Game 162<\/h3>\n
Mets 5, Marlins 0<\/h2>\n
New York pitching staff in good shape for Sunday<\/h3>\n