Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cubs fans and fans across the country.
Earlier this week I asked you which of the Wild Card contenders you’d rather see the Cubs face in that round, presuming the Cubs are in it (and hopefully the top Wild Card and host a series).
Here’s how you responded:
The choice here was overwhelmingly for the Diamondbacks — who just took two of three from the Cubs in Phoenix. Of course, one of those
wins was due to a Cubs bullpen meltdown and the other could have been affected by the non-balk call in the sixth inning of the third game.
At this writing the Diamondbacks are out of the Wild Card picture, one game behind the Padres, who inhabit the third wild-card spot. The Phillies are second, two games behind the Cubs, and so if these positions held the rest of the year, the Cubs would host the Phillies for a best-of-three at Wrigley Field.
Of course, it’s still possible — though more of a long shot now — that the Cubs could overtake the Brewers for the NL Central title. It’s also possible that the Phillies, who trail the Braves by 4.5 games in the NL East, could win that division, pushing Atlanta into a wild-card spot. Since Phillies manager Rob Thomson was fired after a 9-19 start, interim manager Don Mattingly has managed them to a 65-41 record. That’s second in MLB over that span, behind only the Brewers.
Oddly, Thomson did almost exactly that in 2022, taking over a 22-29 team from Joe Girardi and managing them to a 65-46 finish, a Wild Card, and a World Series berth against the Astros.
The 2026 regular season ends four weeks from Sunday. Should be an interesting ride.
Here are the results from the two national questions asked in the SB Nation Reacts survey this week.
I’m surprised this number is that low. The Wild Card races and Wild Card series have definitely been good for the game, in my opinion. And I will guarantee you this: When MLB expands to 32 teams — and it likely will, sometime early in the next decade — that’ll mean 16 teams in the postseason. You might think that’s too many, but it is going to happen.
This does seem likely, with the Diamondbacks, Cardinals and Marlins out. The Padres were in first place in the NL West after defeating the Dodgers May 18, with a 29-18 record. From then through July 23 they went 21-35 and fell to 15 games out of first place. But since then they are 22-9, the best record in MLB over that span. As noted above, they’re currently in that third Wild Card spot, though only a game ahead of Arizona. Those two clubs meet once more, the final three games of the regular season in San Diego. The teams have split 10 games thus far in 2026. Could be a… wild (card)… finish!
This edition of SB Nation Reacts is sponsored by FanDuel.
