The Phillies got where they needed to go, but the route was anything but clean. Philadelphia punched its ticket to the postseason and landed as the No.
3 Wild Card team, which makes it the No. 6 seed in the National League. That sends the Phillies right back into familiar territory: a three-game road series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Field.
It has not been a comfortable matchup for Philadelphia this season. Against Atlanta, the Phillies went 4-9 and were outscored by 23 runs. That kind of gap helps explain why the lineup’s struggles pushed the club all the way to the final game of the regular season before its playoff spot was secured.
Still, there was one encouraging development at the end of the year, and it came from Bryson Stott. The Phillies veteran did not have a clean month of September overall, entering the finale with a .205/.306/.301 line in 86 plate appearances. But he found something late, and that matters now.
Stott is carrying a modest three-game hitting streak into October after doing damage against the Tampa Bay Rays. Philadelphia’s offense was largely quiet in that series, with the Phillies scoring just eight runs across three games, seven of them coming in Game 3.
Stott was a bright spot in the finale, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and a stolen base. It was the second straight game in which he piled up multiple doubles, and he had done that in three of his last five regular-season games.
The ugly September line came with a rough beginning. In his first 10 games of the month, Stott managed only two hits in 30 at-bats, leaving him with a .067/.171/.067 slash line. That slow start was a big part of why Philadelphia’s offense sagged after such a strong August.
But the second half of the month told a different story. In 12 games and 51 plate appearances, Stott looked far more like the hitter he had been in August, when he caught fire and produced at a level not seen since Barry Bonds.
During that stretch, he posted a .302/.400/.465 line with seven walks and just five strikeouts. He added seven doubles, six runs scored, four RBI and two stolen bases.
Game 162 only strengthened that momentum. Stott’s performance helped push Philadelphia into the postseason, and he enters the Braves series as a key swing piece for a lineup that needs production.
He also stands out as a true X-factor for the Phillies, especially with the status of Luis Arraez being up in the air.
In Other News...
Phillies Fans Are Livid And The Backlash Just Got Worse
The reaction around the Harry the Ks deck at Citizens Bank Park has only gotten louder since the Phillies moved to rename and sell the area to a corporate sponsor. What might have been a routine business decision quickly turned into a sore spot for fans, and the conversation spilled onto social media when Phillies supporters began directing their frustration at Dan Lourenco, the founder of Ghost Energy, even though the branding move was not directly initiated by his company.
Lourenco did respond to some of the criticism, but his later comments were taken by many fans as dismissive, which only deepened the backlash. For a fan base that is usually quick to defend the look and feel of its ballpark, the exchange has become about more than a deck sign, with the tone of the response now drawing as much heat as the rebrand itself. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Still Have One Major Game 1 Pitching Decision Left
The Phillies got the final-day push they needed to lock up a Wild Card spot, riding Zack Wheelers effort in a win over the Rays and setting the stage for a quick turnaround into October. With the postseason now here, the club is sorting through its Game 1 pitching plan, and the choice carries real weight because Philadelphia has already lined up Cristopher Sanchez for Game 2.
One possibility still on the table is a bullpen game that would lean on Jess Luzardo and Andrew Painter, while Aaron Nola is expected to take the ball on short rest. It is the kind of October decision that can shape an entire series, especially for a Phillies team that wants to get off to a strong start and avoid asking too much of its staff right away. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Rookies Just Made The Playoff Push Feel Bigger
The Phillies latest playoff push has also turned into a first taste of October for three young pitchers and hitters who have spent much of the season learning what it takes to stick. Justin Crawford, Andrew Painter and Alex McFarlane all found their way onto the postseason roster, a notable milestone for players who arrived with promise and then had to earn trust along the way. Crawford settled in after a midseason jump in performance and embraced his role, Painter sharpened his pitching after a minor league stint, and McFarlane emerged as a dependable bullpen option.
For a club built to chase a deep run, the rookie presence adds another layer to the story. These are not just extra bodies on the bench or in the bullpen, but players who helped the Phillies get here and now get to experience the postseason for the first time together. Their celebration reflected how much the moment meant, even if the bigger challenge is still ahead and the real test of what they can handle is only beginning. [Read more 🡒]