Phillies suddenly flip NL Wild Card race that should put Cubs on notice

The Chicago Cubs entered the week with the hope that playing the Milwaukee Brewers seven times over the next two weeks could flip the conversation in the National League Central race. If not, the comfort was that they were still sitting as the top wild card team in the National League.

Through two of their four-game series against the Brewers this week, the Cubs remain eight games back of the Brewers in the division. More concerning, it was the Phillies who flipped the conversation in the wild card race. Entering play on Wednesday, it is the Phillies who hold the top wild card spot. With a record of 79-60, the Phillies hold a one-game lead over the Cubs.

There's a major difference between being the top wild card team and the second. Instead of hosting a three-game playoff series at Wrigley Field, the Cubs would be on the road at Citizens Bank Park. Playing a playoff game in Philadelphia is never an ideal scenario, especially when there would be no chance of the Cubs bringing the series to World Series.

The silver lining for the Cubs is that they still have a cushion between where they are and the final wild card spot. Five games separate the Cubs and San Diego Padres, who would be the last team to make the playoffs in the National League.

Cubs' sole priority needs to be on securing the top National League Wild Card spot

As of now, the two teams with the first-round bye would be the Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers. Right now, the winner of the wild card series between the Phillies and Cubs would play the Brewers in the NLDS. It's really a pick your poison, but for the Cubs, they match up well against the Brewers, assuming they can get the bullpen figured out.

Playing the Dodgers in the NLDS wouldn't be an ideal draw. The Dodgers, despite appearing to be in a slog for much of the summer, announced the returns of Will Smith and Dalton Rushing on Tuesday. Their starting rotation has already seen the returns of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. That's not the team the Cubs should want to play after a series against the Phillies.

That doesn't mean that the Brewers would be a cake walk for the Cubs, but since the trade deadline, there's been enough evidence to suggest facing Milwaukee in the playoffs this time around won't be a daunting task. Of course, the conversation changes if the Cubs don't take back the top spot in the wild card from the Phillies.

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