Here’s how the Diamondbacks clinch an NL Wild Card playoff spot Friday

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ 3-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon delayed a potential clinch of an NL Wild Card playoff berth to the final series at home against the Houston Astros.

It could happen Friday in Arizona’s third-to-last game of the year.

The D-backs sit in the second wild card spot at 1.5 games up on the Miami Marlins, who are in the third and final playoff spot.

The Chicago Cubs are 0.5 games behind Miami, while the Cincinnati Reds are still in the race at 1.5 games out of the race. Mathematically, the San Diego Padres have not been eliminated from the third postseason berth but cannot catch the D-backs.

Arizona Diamondbacks wild card playoff-clinching magic number: 1

Arizona (84-75) controls its own destiny and can clinch a playoff berth with a win in any of the three remaining games against Houston at Chase Field.

Friday could be the day even if the Diamondbacks lose to the Astros. A loss by each of the Cubs (82-77) and the Reds (81-78) would make each of them unable to catch Arizona because they’d have only two games left. The D-backs hold a tiebreaker over the Cubs with a 6-1 record on the year against Chicago.

Chicago on Friday at 5:10 p.m. MST faces the Milwaukee Brewers, who have already clinched the NL Central at 90-69.

Cincinnati faces the 69-90 St. Louis Cardinals at 5:15 p.m. MST.

The Diamondbacks face a Houston team with much to play for. The Astros (87-72) are in the last available AL Wild Card spot and only 1.0 game ahead of the Seattle Mariners.

The first pitch for Arizona-Houston is at 6:40 p.m. on the Arizona Sports app and 98.7.

NL Wild Card standings

Place	Team	Record	Games Back	Last 10	Up Next
1	Philadelphia Phillies	89-70	+6.5	8-2	at NYM
2	ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS	84-75	+1.5	7-3	vs. HOU
3	Miami Marlins	82-76	—	6-4	at PIT
4	Chicago Cubs	82-77	0.5	4-6	at MIL
5	Cincinnati Reds	81-78	1.5	4-6	at STL

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