Cubs Clinch NL Wild Card Berth With Win Over Marlins
The short version
- Cubs clinched an NL playoff spot with a 2-1 win over Miami on Thursday.
- Chicago is eliminated from the NL Central race and will be a wild card team.
- The Cubs can finish as the No. 4, 5, or 6 seed; home-field in the Wild Card round is undecided.
- The MLB postseason is expected to start Sept. 29, 2026.
Chicago beat Miami 2-1 on Thursday to lock up a National League playoff spot, with seeding and home-field still undecided.
The Chicago Cubs have secured a place in the 2026 MLB postseason. A 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon clinched a spot in the National League playoff field.
The win confirmed what the standings had largely dictated. Chicago has already been mathematically eliminated from the National League Central title, meaning the club will enter the playoffs as a wild card team rather than a division champion.
Several details remain unresolved with a few days left in the regular season. The Cubs could still finish anywhere from the No. 4 seed to the No. 6 seed in the National League, a range that determines whether they host their Wild Card series at Wrigley Field or open on the road. As of publication, Chicago sat at the No. 4 spot.
The Wild Card round is a best-of-three series, with the higher-ranked team holding home-field advantage for all three games. Ticket listings for potential Cubs home games show prices starting at $119 for Game 1 on Sept. 29, $155 for Game 2 on Sept. 30, and $162 for a decisive Game 3 on Oct. 1.
Further postseason rounds carry heavier price tags if Chicago advances. Listed starting prices for potential National League Division Series home games run from $211 to $270, while National League Championship Series listings begin between $227 and $599. World Series tickets, should the Cubs reach their first Fall Classic since 2016, start at $2,051.
The 2026 MLB postseason is expected to begin Sept. 29, with the World Series slated to open Oct. 23.
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