The Cubs opened their series against the Miami Marlins on September 21, 2026 with Michael Conforto moved into the cleanup spot and Pedro Ramírez starting at third base, giving Chicago a different look at the exact moment a win would clinch a playoff berth.
That is why the game at Wrigley Field mattered so much. The Cubs entered at 87-69, the Marlins at 76-80, and the matchup started at 6:40 CT with coverage on Marquee Sports Network and 104.3 The Score. For Chicago, the equation was simple: beat Miami and the berth is secured.
Craig Counsell’s choice to move Conforto up was not hard to explain. Over his last 15 games, Conforto had hit.300 with 7 RBIs and six walks, production that made him the most logical bat to place behind the top of the order. He batted fourth against a right-handed pitcher, with Ian Happ hitting fifth and Nico Hoerner sixth. Carson Kelly and Dansby Swanson also returned to the lineup after sitting in the finale against the Reds, a reminder that the Cubs were trying to line up every available piece for the stretch run.
The only part that did not line up cleanly was the one at third base. One lineup note had Alex Bregman sidelined, which fit the broader reality that he remained out during the final two series of the regular season because of the aftermath of a facial fracture. Another had Michael Busch at third, but the same pregame setup put Ramírez there instead, a late change that reflected how quickly the Cubs were adjusting around injuries and timing. In a game with the season’s weight on it, the final card mattered more than the first one.
Chicago has reached the point where every clean win carries a finish-line consequence, and this one could put the Cubs into the postseason for the second straight season. If they do it against the Marlins, the rest of the regular season becomes a matter of position, not survival.
