Toronto’s bullpen has quietly stabilized, posting a 3.98 ERA (13th in MLB) entering Wednesday and a 1.67 ERA over 37 2/3 innings in 11 games, second only to Seattle. Louis Varland is the lone reliever with more than one run allowed in that span, signaling a potential usage nuance for late innings.

Toronto’s franchise arc is back on track too: a 3,850-3,850 all-time win-loss ledger was secured with a 6-5 win over Tampa Bay. Santander is in a seven-inning rehab stint in Buffalo, 0-for-4 in the latest game and 4-for-22 overall, a sign of progress toward a potential return as the playoff push looms.

Cubs clinch NL wild-card with an 8-4 win over Pittsburgh as Ian Happ closes it out, turning Gallagher Way into a quick celebration scene.

The piece taps 1984, when Sutcliffe’s gem sparked playoff fever and Durocher and Franks offered timeless Chicago Cubs lore, with fans spilling into Wrigleyville after the marquee flashed Cubs Win.

Since then Chicago has sent the team to the postseason ten times, including 2016's title year. Today’s postgame vibe blends nostalgia with a quieter, weekday ritual around Wrigley, a newer chapter in the Cubs' ongoing chase.

Toronto tightens its grip on the postseason as they host Tampa Bay with a chance to clinch the AL East and lock in a playoff spot. Gausman anchors the rotation, carrying a 3.44 ERA over 91 2/3 innings in the final stretch and a Sept. 11 complete-game shutout of Houston reinforcing his case as playoff Game 1 ace. Ian Seymour for the Rays counters as a rookie lefty still seeking his first Toronto test. With a lefty on the mound, expect tweaks in the Jays’ lineup—Ty France, Davis Schneider, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Myles Straw among the likely contributors—as Toronto sits 23-13 against left-handed starters this season.

TV time is set for 7:05 p.m. on Sportsnet (Gausman vs. Seymour) with Thursday’s 1:10 p.m. first pitch to follow. Shane Bieber’s addition gives Toronto additional postseason depth as they push toward a possible Thursday playoff clinch, while the Rays aim to steal momentum and complicate Toronto’s planning. The Jays’ magic number to clinch the division sits at six, and three to lock in the postseason, making this series a pivotal milestone in their title and playoff pursuit.