The Chicago Cubs are back in the postseason for the first time since 2008, clinching a playoff berth on Friday night with the San Francisco Giants' loss on the road to the Oakland Athletics.
Chicago Cubs clinch first playoff berth since 2008
Chicago is 42-24 (.636) since the All-Star break, the best record in the National League during that span.
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Chicago (89-64) hasn't been technically eliminated from the National League Central race, though they have an elimination number of two in the division, trailing the St. Louis Cardinals (97-57) by 7 1/2 games with nine games left in Chicago's regular season.
The Cubs have their most victories in a season since winning 97 games in 2008, their second straight National League Central title.
With a chance to clinch the playoff berth in front of their own fans on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Cubs fell to the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 in the opener of a three-game weekend series. Pittsburgh (94-60) leads the Cubs by 4 1/2 games in the race for home field advantage in the National League Wild Card Game, to be played on Wed., Oct. 7.
Manager Joe Maddon and the Cubs were asked if they planned to watch the Giants-A’s game, which started after 9 p.m. local time in Chicago.
#Cubs Maddon didn't plan on staying up to watch Giants game. Says he'll probably check score when he goes to bathroom late at night
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) September 25, 2015 Maddon said he'll find out about Giants score tonight when he gets up to go to the bathroom. Says they can celebrate "via text."
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) September 25, 2015
#Cubs Coghlan says team will party at right time. "We're not a team that misses out on a celebration"
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) September 25, 2015
After the final out in Oakland, Cubs players Dexter Fowler and Jake Arrieta were awake to celebrate:
#letsgo #playofftime @JArrieta34 @MrsArrieta49 @DaryaAliya pic.twitter.com/DzuMKOuToo
— Dexter Fowler (@DexterFowler) September 26, 2015 The Cubs join the Cardinals, Pirates and Kansas City Royals as teams to clinch a playoff berth so far this season.
The NL Wild Card Game will be televised by TBS on Oct. 7, with first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET.
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