The South Bend Cubs return home this week with a chance to clinch a playoff spot.
The High-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs carry the best record in the Midwest League (34-19) heading into the week of June 8. They lead the West Division by five games over the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers with nine games remaining in the first half of the season.
In the Midwest League, the team that’s in first place at the halfway point of the season in each division clinch a playoff spot. The team that wins the second-half standings clinches the second playoff spot for each division. If the same team wins both halves, then the team that finishes in second place in the second half earns the playoff spot.
The first half ends Thursday, June 18.
How the South Bend Cubs are in playoff position
The magic number for South Bend to clinch a playoff spot is five. Any combination of wins by the Cubs and losses by Wisconsin totaling five, however they happen, will clinch the first half division for South Bend.
That means there is a good chance the Cubs will secure a playoff spot during a six-game series with Peoria this week (June 9-14) at Four Winds Field.
South Bend has been rolling since the calendar flipped to May. It has won five consecutive series, most recently taking four of six from the Quad Cities River Bandits. It has done it with a rotating cast of players, as several key hitters and pitchers have been called up to Double-A due to their individual success.
Of those who have been around for most of the season, shortstop Christian Olivio is hitting .250 with five home runs, 31 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 50 games. Center fielder Kane Kepley has been a speed demon on the bags, swiping 31 while also posting a .260 average in 48 contests.
Josiah Hartshorn has made an immediate impact since his debut May 27. In just 12 games, the California native has 17 hits, including hour homers, and 17 RBIs. His OPS is an eye-popping 1.197.
The pitching has been strong as well, led by the likes of Cole Reynolds, Koen Moreno, Brooks Caple and Alfredo Romero. Jackson Brockett has a 2.37 ERA out of the bullpen as well in eight appearances.
After winning the Midwest League championship in 2022, the Cubs have struggled to find success on the field. With a newly-renovated stadium in place, though, it appears South Bend is going to be bringing postseason baseball back to town this fall.
Austin Hough is a sports editor within the Center for Community Journalism at USA Today Co., overseeing high school sports and Notre Dame athletics coverage for five Indiana newspapers. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @AustinRHough. Hough can be emailed at ahough@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: The South Bend Cubs can clinch a playoff spot this week. Here’s how
Reporting by Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Austin Hough, South Bend Tribune | USA TODAY Network
