It has been a while since Chicago Cubs fans had to figure out the magic number, a flashback to the late 2010s that disappeared around the same time Kyle Schwarber was nontendered.

But it’s time to brush up on those math skills again.

The magic number for the Cubs to clinch a postseason spot was down to seven by late Friday afternoon after a 6-4 win over the Tampa Bay Rays before a sun-kissed crowd of 38,794.

That means it’s likely they’ll celebrate on the road next week in Pittsburgh or Cincinnati, barring an unfortunate series of mishaps.

Either way, this weekend’s series against the Rays at Wrigley Field is important for more than Anthony Rizzo’s grand retirement party Saturday afternoon.

The Cubs need to keep whittling down that magic number and give manager Craig Counsell a chan

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