MILWAUKEE -- The National League has been so competitive this year that it will take the final series of the regular season to decide where three teams end up.
This weekend, the Brewers host the Detroit Tigers, and the Cardinals are at Wrigley after getting swept at home by Milwaukee.
In order for the Brewers to win the division and clinch the top seed, they either need to win the series against Detroit and have the Cubs lose their series, or only win one game against Detroit if the Cubs get swept.
If the Cubs get swept and the Brewers only win one game this weekend, the two teams will face off at Wrigley Field on Monday in a winner take all showdown.
If the Cubs win their series, the Brewers would need to sweep the Tigers to force the Monday matchup at Wrigley.
With all of that being said, the Cardinals only sit one game out of the second wild card spot behind the LA Dodgers. The Dodgers sit one game behind the Rockies for first place in the NL West.
Depending on how those two teams do in the final weekend, the Cardinals could be hitting the golf course, or heading to Milwaukee or Chicago to play in the wild card game on Tuesday, Oct. 2.
If the Cardinals are to make the playoffs, they need to win the series against the Cubs and the Dodgers need to lose their series to the Giants. Realistically, they don't have a leg to stand on if they don't beat the Cubs twice this weekend.
A best-case-scenario for the Brewers is the Cubs losing their series and the Dodgers winning theirs. If LA hits on the second wild card spot, the Cubs would have to hit against pitcher Clayton Kershaw in a winner take all.
The last time three NL Central teams made the postseason was in 2015. The Cardinals won the division, while the Cubs shutout the Pirates in Pittsburgh on their way to the NLCS.
As of right now, the chances of a Brewers and Cubs NLDS series is likely, but only time will tell.
