Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

MLB Playoff Update: What is the Cubs' magic number?

nbcchicago.com · 7hShare

The Chicago Cubs are inching closer to clinching a playoff spot, and their win over the Atlanta Braves helped them out on Wednesday. The win, powered by an incredible night from Pete Crow-Armstrong, kept the Cubs in the top spot in the National League wild race with a narrow lead over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs are off on Thursday, but here’s where things stand in the playoff hunt, and who they would play in the postseason if the season were to end with the current standings in place. Here are the current wild card standings in the National League: Chicago Cubs 85-68 Philadelphia Phillies 84-68 San Diego Padres 83-69 Arizona Diamondbacks 80-73 (3.5 GB) What is the Cubs’ magic number? Thanks to the Cubs’ win over the Braves on Wednesday and the Diamondbacks’ loss to the Marlins, Chicago’s magic number now stands at just four to clinch a wild card spot in the National League. If the Cubs were to finish the regular season tied with Arizona, they would win a tiebreaker thanks to w

First report: WAR, what is it good for? Absolutely nothin’, if you’re Cubs starting pitchers: ‘I’ll take our guys any day’ — suntimes.com, 2d