The Chicago Cubs may have won Wednesday, but they still only hold a half-game lead in the National League Central against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Cubs locked down their playoff spot on Wednesday thanks to the St. Louis Cardinals' loss to the Brewers, and they are now guaranteed to finish ahead of the Cards and Los Angeles Dodgers, who slipped into second place in the National League West.
With their victory, the Cubs are now guaranteed to at least finish in the top spot in the National League Wild Card race, and still control their own destiny in the Central.
With that in mind, here's a breakdown of the different scenarios that could play out for the Cubs in the season’s final days..
If Cubs Finish Ahead of Brewers
The best-case scenario for the Cubs would be to finish ahead of the Brewers, and they have their destiny in their own hands, as they play one more game than Milwaukee and have one fewer loss than the Brewers.
If that happens, the Cubs would likely open the postseason at home on Oct. 3. The Atlanta Braves are three games behind the Cubs in the race for best record in the National League, but only have four games left to play.
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If Cubs and Brewers Finish Tied for Division Title
If the Cubs and Brewers finish tied for the division title, then the teams would play a one-game playoff at Wrigley Field on Monday, Oct. 1, due to the Cubs winning the season series against Milwaukee.
The winner of the game would move on to the National League Division Series, while the loser would head to the National League Wild Card Game on Tuesday, Oct. 2.
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If Cubs Finish Behind Brewers
The Cubs would host the Wild Card Game on Oct. 2 if they lose out on the Central Division crown. The Dodgers currently hold the wild card spot, but only lead the Cardinals by a game in the standings and trail the Rockies by a half-game in the West.
If Cardinals, Rockies, and Dodgers End Up Tied
There is still a scenario for chaos in the National League, as the Cardinals, Rockies, and Dodgers could all end up with the same win total.
If that were to happen, the Rockies and Dodgers would play a one-game playoff for the National League West title on Oct. 1, and the loser would be forced to play the Cardinals in a winner-take-all playoff game to determine the second Wild Card winner in the National League on Oct. 2.
Then, the winner of that game would play in the National League Wild Card Game against the Cubs or Brewers on Oct. 3.
