The Rundown: Cubs Clinch, Weather Impacting Final Series in Boston, Inspiring White Sox Earn Postseason Bid

“Jump in, let’s go. Lay back, enjoy the show. Everybody gets high, everybody gets low. These are the days when anything goes.” – Everyday is a Winding Road by Sheryl Crow

The Cubs beat the Marlins 2-1 on Thursday and are going back to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The Padres will be their likely opponent, but not without some controversy, which I’ll detail in the News & Notes section below. Chicago has been one of baseball’s most resilient teams all season, and that won’t change in the postseason.

I really don’t have anything to add. It’s been a long season and it’s nice to relax for a moment or two. There’s still work to do, but give credit to Craig Counsell and every player that has suited up for the Cubs this season. Not many teams make the playoffs while missing their best starters, or with a bullpen whose closer failed to reach double digits in saves.

The top three NL seeds are set, with the Brewers taking the No. 1 seed followed by the Dodgers and Braves. The Cubs, Padres , and Phillies are still contending for the Nos. 4 through 6 slots, while the Diamondbacks can only get in if Philadelphia falls below them. Arizona currently has a 5% chance of making the playoffs.

Game 1 against the Red Sox starts at 12:05 CT today, with Clay Holmes taking the mound. He’ll face Alec Gamboa and a gaggle of BoSox relievers. Game 2 is at 4:35 pm, pitting David Peterson against Brayan Bello. The Red Sox are fighting for the AL No. 5 seed, so they’re not going to roll over for the Cubs. This is no time for a clinching hangover, that’s for sure.

But hey…the Cubs made it to the big dance, and the hard work is just beginning, but that feels good no matter the circumstances.

Cubs News & Notes

• Seiya Suzuki hit a big game-tying home run, but Matthew Boyd was the hero of the day. His long outing preserved the bullpen ahead of today’s doubleheader in Boston.
• Pete Crow-Armstrong joined the 40/40 club after walking in his first at-bat and then promptly stealing second base.
• The Red Sox reportedly green-lit the idea of playing their series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field this weekend, according to Matt Spiegel of 670 The Score, and the Cubs would have reimbursed Boston. The Padres and Phillies were reportedly not receptive to that idea, which is fair. 
• The flipside is this: Chicago plays a doubleheader today, and Sunday’s game has been pushed up to Saturday. That likely means Shōta Imanaga will start Game 162 on short rest, which isn’t fair. It’s also possible that the final game will be moved to Tampa Bay and played on Sunday, creating extra travel. This team simply cannot catch a break.
• Nothing is official as of this writing, but the league is preparing for the Cubs and Red Sox to play in Tampa Bay on Sunday. Southwest Airlines, one of the Cubs’ official sponsors, has already added flights to and from Tampa International Airport.
• All of the schedule changing and uncertainty puts the Cubs at a disadvantage entering the playoffs, per Counsell.
• I haven’t seen anything official but it seems doubtful that the team will activate Justin Steele because the league denied their request to carry an extra pitcher for today’s doubleheader. Edward Cabrera was placed on family medical emergency leave, but Gavin Hollowell is his replacement.
• The best thing that can happen to the Cubs is to sweep the Red Sox today and then hope the Diamondbacks stay hot and take the first two games of their series in San Diego.
• Alex Bregman has been cleared to play in today’s game.
• With Bregman returning, Chicago’s group of position players is set for the postseason. The pitching staff will be in flux until the Cubs get through their three-game set with the Red Sox.
• The tough third baseman will serve as the Cubs’ DH in the first game of the twin bill.
• Kevin Gausman is listed as day-to-day after hurting his non-throwing shoulder the other day. He shouldn’t miss a start, but it may affect the order with which Counsell schedules his playoff starters.
• This Cubs team is obviously built to handle any kind of adversity.
• Josiah Hartshorn will enter next season at age 20 and with five games of Double-A experience (counting the playoffs). In the last four decades, only two position players 20 or younger have appeared for the Cubs. Starlin Castro was their everyday shortstop in 2010 and Corey Patterson got into 11 games at the end of 2000. It is not impossible that Hartshorn may replace Happ or Suzuki, but it is unlikely.

Say Hey, PCA!

Crow-Armstrong is the seventh player in MLB history to hit 40 or more home runs with at least 40 steals. He also went 20/20 in games played at Wrigley Field. No player has done it twice so the goal for next season is set.

• 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 Acuña Jr., Braves, 2023: 41-73
• Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, 2024: 54-59

Ball Four

Ian Happ is a legend for this🐐

Taped some cash to a ball for the Wrigley bleacher creatures to grab some beers in what could be his final game as Cub 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ZemDVJe1Ss

— Big League Digest (@BigLeagueDigest) September 24, 2026

I’m going to miss Ian Happ, and based on some of the social media reactions, a lot of fans will, too. Still, he has his detractors. Happ is three homers shy of 200 for his career. I hope he hits that benchmark in Boston, and I hope he returns next season.

Suzuki and Boyd are also pending free agents. All three players love it in Chicago, each represents the heart and the soul of the club and the city, and Jed Hoyer has his work cut out for him. He’s going to be villainized if their production isn’t met or exceeded next season.

For what it’s worth, the free agent pool is average at best, and Hoyer doesn’t have a lot of trade assets. The Cubs do have decent outfield depth in their farm system, however.

Central Intelligence

• Milwaukee (100-59): The Brewers reached 100 wins for the first time in franchise history, and locked up the top seed in the NL playoffs to boot.
• Chicago (88-71): Sideline reporter Taylor McGregor is leaving Marquee for a full-time gig with ESPN. The remaining broadcast crew is staying intact. Jon Sciambi, Jim Deshaies, field analyst and reporter Elise Menaker, studio host Cole Wright and play-by-play announcer Alex Cohen all recently had their contracts extended through the 2028 season.
• Pittsburgh (81-78): Paul Skenes ended his season with his 200th strikeout, and then said he’s not going to dwell on the difficult year he had.
• St. Louis (77-82): Cardinals broadcaster Stefan Caray believes that St. Louis will contend for the NL Central title as soon as next season.
• Cincinnati (74-85): Superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz needs one more stolen base to join the 30/30 club.

Walk on the Wild Side

• San Diego (89-70): The Padres clinched a playoff berth and have their sights set on the franchise’s first world championship.
• Philadelphia (87-72): Bryce Harper told his teammates that they’re still in the driver’s seat despite a recent lump that has shrink the Phillies’ lead over the Diamondbacks to two games.
• Arizona (85-74): The Diamondbacks swept the Rockies to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They’ll finish the regular season with three games in San Diego. Their elimination number sits at two games. They need to sweep the Padres and hope that the Phillies are lose at least to of three to the Rays.

How About That!

The White Sox clinched a postseason bid as their inspiring turnaround continues.

The South Siders are coming off of three straight 100-loss seasons and still have a chance to win the AL Central.

Colson Montgomery tied the MLB mark set by Mark Reynolds in 2009 with his 223rd strikeout of the season.

Houston rookie Lucas Spence hit his first three big league home runs in the same game to give the Astros a huge win over the Athletics. The win keeps them tied with the Rangers for first place in the AL West.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy pulled William Contreras from last night’s game for lack of hustle.

The Braves owners aren’t very happy that Nashville is on the short list for MLB expansion.

Greetings from the Future of Baseball

A lockout is certainly coming, and Game 60 of the ’27 season could be a crucial leverage point ($) in CBA negotiations. If at least 60 games are wiped out in 2027, most of the league’s national broadcast contracts would extend another year, through 2029, people briefed on MLB’s rights agreements who were not authorized to speak publicly told The Athletic. That means the big payday owners expect from new national TV rights deals could wind up delayed by a lockout.

There is a caveat, however. Most of the current national contracts — which total more than $2 billion annually with Fox, TNT Sports and other platforms — call for the league’s partners to pay MLB in 2027 even if no games are played,

Apropos of Nothing

The Cubs and White Sox both clinched a postseason berth yesterday during the same three-minute span. It’s just the 4th time they’ve both made the playoffs in the same year (1906, 2008, 2020).

Extra Innings

Welcome to the 40/40 Club PCA!

Pete Crow-Armstrong 40-40 video montage, the first in Cubs history. Every home run and stolen base in order. pic.twitter.com/tYvsLYJFzw

— Brendan Miller (@brendan_cubs) September 25, 2026

They Said It

• “We’ve taken a lot of hits this year. We’re weathered. We’re going to be better for that, too. We know it’s not going to be easy, ever. Getting to go through a bunch of weird stuff and injuries and weird injuries, we’re built for the weird shit.” – Crow-Armstrong
• “Ultimately, it was an opportunity to grow in my career at ESPN and I had to make a tough decision. I love everyday baseball, but it’s every day and I’ve been doing it for nine years and I felt ready to have a little bit more time in my personal life.” – McGregor
• “We are so privileged. We go to stadiums around the country, and what we have at Wrigley is really special. All the workers who greet you every single day and the players and coaches who have been so wonderful to me. My producer, director, everybody in the truck who I get to see — I really do love those relationships. I will certainly miss that.” – McGregor

Friday Walk-Up Song

Time to exhale, at least for a few hours.