The Phillies came into Saturday hoping Andrew Painter would steady things after Friday’s bullpen game against the Mets. Instead, the night went sideways in a hurry, and Philadelphia left with a 10-3 loss that kept its magic number sitting at four.
That number is still good news in the big picture. With seven games left, the Phillies are in strong position to reach the playoffs. But the way they’re getting there is starting to look shaky, and Saturday only added to the concern.
The offense never found a rhythm again. Philadelphia has now scored three runs in five straight games, and the results have tracked with that drought. Over the last seven games, the Phillies have scored four or more runs only once.
Painter wasn’t sharp enough to stop the slide, either. The right-hander worked 5.1 innings and gave up four runs on four hits with one walk.
The biggest blow came in the bottom of the fifth, when Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez launched a three-run homer to put New York ahead. From there, the Mets kept pushing and tagged a struggling Phillies bullpen for more.
There was a little outside help for Philadelphia on Friday, when the New York Yankees beat the Arizona Diamondbacks. This time, no such break arrived. The Phillies stayed at a magic number of four, and the standings tightened around them.
Philadelphia is now the third wild card team, with the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs both one game ahead. That matters because the top wild card spot would bring home-field advantage in the opening round, something the Phillies would have loved to lock down.
If the season ended today, the Phillies would draw the Atlanta Braves in the wild card round. The playoff path is still there, but the recent stretch has made one thing clear: the Phillies need more from both the offense and the bullpen if they want October to last longer than a quick trip.
In Other News...
Mets Final Week Is Changing A Few 2027 Roster Conversations
With six games left in the 2026 season, the Mets have a few late looks that are starting to matter beyond the standings. Brett Baty has put together a strong September at the plate even while working through a minor knee injury, while Austin Warren has looked sharper on the mound since coming back from the injured list and Tobias Myers has been effective since his recall from the minors.
For a team already thinking about 2027 roster construction, those kinds of finishes can stick. Batys month has strengthened his case for a larger role, Warrens rebound has reopened his path after the injury, and Myers has given the front office a useful reminder that recent form can change a conversation quickly. The final week may not settle every question, but it is giving the Mets a few more names worth keeping in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Pete Alonso Is Forcing Mets Fans To Revisit One Painful Decision
Pete Alonso keeps finding ways to turn familiar power into a fresh reminder for Mets fans. Now with the Baltimore Orioles, the former New York slugger went deep twice in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, pushing him to 40 home runs and 108 RBIs on the season while adding another eye-catching line to a career that has long made him one of the games most recognizable power threats.
Alonso also reached a rare piece of history, becoming the first player in MLB to hit 40 or more home runs in his first season with teams in both the National and American Leagues. His latest milestone only sharpens the old conversation in Queens, because the bat that once anchored the middle of the Mets lineup is still producing at a level that keeps his departure from feeling less consequential with every big night. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Prospect Jefferson Rojas Just Forced A Tough Roster Decision
Jefferson Rojas arrived in Triple-A Syracuse late in the season and made the kind of first impression that tends to complicate an organizations winter plans. In six games, the Mets top prospect hit .308 with three home runs, a burst of production that only added to the sense that his timeline is moving quickly for a player the club may eventually count on in Queens.
Now the focus shifts from what Rojas did on the field to what the Mets do with him next. He is trending toward being part of the conversation for the 2027 Opening Day roster, but the front office has to weigh how to handle his spot on the 40-man roster with offseason uncertainty looming, including the possibility of a lockout and the looming Rule 5 draft. For a team trying to keep its best young talent in place, this is exactly the kind of decision that can get complicated in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]