Cubs Rumors: Shohei Ohtani buzz, PCA’s next step, playoff outlook
By Kristen Wong
Cubs Rumors: Playoff odds dip following latest losses
The Cubs currently have a 65.2 percent chance of securing a wild card spot and an 85.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, per FanGraphs. And sure, why not throw in one more: The team has a 2.2 percent chance of winning the World Series.
First things first, the Cubs are staring down the barrel of a do-or-die stretch to end the season, and their last two defeats against the Arizona Diamondbacks have caused them to slip ever so slightly.
As of Saturday, the Cubs still hold a two-game lead over the D-Backs for the second wild card spot (they trail the Phillies, set to earn the first wild card spot, by two games).
Depending on the Cubs' afternoon result in the third game of the D-Backs series, the team could lose even more ground in the playoff race, and their wild-card hopes may feel less cushy.
If the 2023 season were to end today, the Phillies, Cubs, and D-Backs would make the postseason, in that order. The Marlins and Reds loom close behind; luckily for the Cubs, the Reds lost to the Cardinals recently and failed to capitalize on Chicago's brief setback.
These final two games against the D-Backs this weekend will prove critical in the Cubs' wild card race against a fellow NL playoff hopeful. The two teams will face each other again in a week, so expect the stakes to remain high throughout the first half of September.