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MLB·September 20, 2026 12:33 PM ET

Cubs, Padres drop magic numbers to three in NL wild-card race

Phillies fall to 85-70 to sit one game back.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 201 min read
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The National League Wild Card Race: The Chicago Cubs (86-69) win. Magic Number 3. The San Diego Padres (86-69) win. Magi

What happened: The Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres both secured victories to improve to 86-69, reducing their magic numbers to three. The Philadelphia Phillies lost to drop to 85-70, leaving their magic number at four.

Why it matters: The outcomes break the recent three-way tie in the standings, allowing Chicago and San Diego to pull one game ahead for the top wild-card spots. The Arizona Diamondbacks improved to 81-74 with a win, holding their elimination number at four.

What to watch: The Phillies remain scheduled to face the New York Mets, with the Mets leading the series 2-1.

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