[1][2] The Cubs and Brewers ended the 2018 season tied for the division lead and the NL's best win–loss record at 95–67 (.586), thereby guaranteeing that whoever lost would host the Wild Card Game the next day.

[12] To challenge for the 2018 division, the Brewers made several key offseason acquisitions, among them starter Jhoulys Chacin, former Kansas City Royal Lorenzo Cain and then-Marlins outfielder Christian Yelich.

[13] The Cubs' high-profile[14][15] offseason acquisitions, Yu Darvish and Brandon Morrow, were lost to injury during the season,[16][17][18] and both missed the tie-breaker game.

Chicago took the division lead from the Brewers on July 14 and maintained sole possession of first place until falling to a third-place St. Louis club at home in the penultimate game of the season.

The Brewers ended the season on an 8-game win streak,[21] while the Cubs won their final game 10–5 over the Cards to force the tiebreaker.

[27] ESPN broadcast the game, with Karl Ravech, Eduardo Pérez, Tim Kurkjian, and Buster Olney.

Rizzo, Cain, Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw and Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward were also Gold Glove runners up.