The marathon that is the Major League Baseball season is down to the final weekend, and the Cubs and White Sox are in the playoffs. It is only the fourth time in MLB history that both teams have made the postseason in the same year (1906, 2008 and 2020).
The Cubs will finish in second place in the National League Central for the fourth consecutive season — with the first-place Milwaukee Brewers having clinched their fourth straight division crown.
The White Sox, meanwhile, fell just short of pulling off a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround after losing more than 100 games each of the last three seasons.
Here’s where things stand.
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Cubs
Cubs manager Craig Counsell celebrates with his team in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot with a victory over the Marlins on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs catcher Carson Kelly (15) celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot with a victory against the Marlins on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs catcher Carson Kelly celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after clinching a wild-card playoff berth with a victory over the Marlins on Sept. 24, 2026,at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, center, celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot with a victory against the Marlins on Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs fans hold “W” flags after a victory over the Marlins on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong celebrates with teammates after clinching a playoff spot with a victory against the Marlins on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
The Cubs pose as a group after clinching a playoff spot with a victory against the Marlins on Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong acknowledges fans after clinching a playoff spot with a victory against the Marlins on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell celebrates with his team in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, at Wrigley Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Record: 89-73 in the regular season.
Sunday’s result: 6-2 win over the Red Sox, in Tampa, Fla.
NL wild card: The Cubs are locked in to the NL’s No. 5 seed and will face the fourth-seeded Padres in a best-of-three wild-card series beginning Tuesday in San Diego. The Phillies took the last wild-card spot and No. 6 seed after their win Sunday.
Chicago Cubs in the playoffs: Schedule set for NL wild-card round vs. San Diego Padres
Last playoff appearance: 2025 as the No. 4 seed in the NL as the top wild card. The Cubs beat the Padres 2-1 in the wild-card series before losing to the Brewers 3-2 in the division series.
Postseason history: 22 appearances in 150 seasons — eight division titles, four wild-card berths, 17 pennants and three championships (1907, 1908, 2016).
40-40 watch: Pete Crow-Armstrong on Thursday became the seventh player in MLB history to reach 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. He ends the regular season with 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases. The six who accomplished the feat before him:
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 Acuna Jr., Braves, 2023: 41-73
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, 2024: 54-59
White Sox
White Sox players celebrate in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Braden Montgomery, right, and Munetaka Murakami celebrate after the White Sox clinched a playoff berth with a 9-1 win against the Royals on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Tanner Gatlin/Getty)
Mike Vasil holds Kyle Teel as the White Sox celebrate clinching the a playoff berth at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Tanner Gatlin/Getty)
Mike Vasil celebrates after the White Sox clinched a playoff berth Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Tanner Gatlin/Getty)
Munetaka Murakami celebrates in the clubhouse after the White Sox clinched a playoff berth Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Tanner Gatlin/Getty)
Mike Vasil celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after the White Sox clinched a playoff spot with a victory against the Royals on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Braden Montgomery celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after the White Sox clinched a playoff spot with a win against the Royals on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Mike Vasil celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after the White Sox clinched a playoff spot Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Munetaka Murakami (5) and Braden Montgomery celebrate after the White Sox beat the Royals 9-1 to clinch a playoff berth at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Tanner Gatlin/Getty)
Braden Montgomery, left, and Tristan Peters celebrate after the White Sox beat the Royals 9-1 to clinch a playoff berth Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
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White Sox players celebrate in the clubhouse after clinching a playoff spot Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP)
Record: 84-78 through the regular season.
Sunday’s result: 4-2 win over the Rockies.
AL Central: The Guardians clinched the division title on Saturday and are the No. 2 seed in the American League with a first-round bye.
AL wild card: The Sox are locked in to the AL’s No. 6 seed and will travel to face the AL West-winning Houston Astros in a best-of-three wild-card series beginning Tuesday.
Last playoff appearance: 2021 as the AL Central champions and No. 3 seed in the AL. The White Sox lost to the Astros 3-1 in the division series.
Postseason history: 11 appearances in 125 seasons — six division titles, one wild-card berth, six pennants and three championships (1906, 1917, and 2005).
Playoff outlook
National League
Wild-card round
Best-of-three series, all at higher seed
No. 5 Cubs at No. 4 Padres
At Petco Park in San Diego
Game 1: Tuesday, 9 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
No. 6 Phillies at No. 3 Braves
At Truist Park in Atlanta
Game 1: Tuesday, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 1 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Nos. 1 and 2 seeds have byes
Division series
Oct. 3-10, best of five, 2-2-1 format
No. 1 Brewers vs. Cubs/Padres winner
No. 2 Dodgers vs. Braves/Phillies winner
Championship series
Oct. 11-20, best of seven, 2-3-2 format
American League
No. 6 White Sox at No. 3 Astros
At Daikin Park in Houston
Game 1: Tuesday, 4 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 4 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
No. 5 Red Sox at No. 4 Yankees
At Yankee Stadium in New York
Game 1: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Game 2: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Thursday, TBD, if necessary
Nos. 1 and 2 seeds have byes
Division series
Oct. 3-10, best of five, 2-2-1 format
No. 1 Rays vs. Yankees/Red Sox winner
No. 2 Guardians vs. White Sox/Astros winner
Championship series
Oct. 11-20, best of seven, 2-3-2 format
World Series
Oct. 23-31, best of seven, 2-3-2 format