As the Phillies head into the postseason, the big question isn’t just where they land - it’s whether Zack Wheeler should be sent out Sunday if the No. 4 seed is still on the table.
The argument for chasing home field is easy enough to make. Citizens Bank Park has been a weapon for the Phillies in October, and the numbers back up why that idea has real appeal.
Since 2022, they’ve gone 13-7 in postseason games at home. On the road, that mark drops to 8-10.
But this team has also shown it can travel. The Phillies won 45 road games this season, which is currently the third-best road record in the NL.
They swept the Padres in San Diego. They also went 0-4 against the Cubs at Wrigley, though that series came before Rob Thomson was fired.
Their pitching numbers aren’t wildly different by venue either, with a 3.92 ERA on the road and a 4.09 mark at home.
That’s where the debate gets tricky. If the Phillies clinch and still have a shot at the No. 4 seed entering Sunday’s finale, Wheeler becomes the centerpiece of a decision that could shape the first week of the playoffs. Using him there would aim to secure home field, but it would also likely push him out of the Wild Card round until Thursday, Game 3, if the series goes that far.
In that setup, the Phillies would be looking at Cristopher Sanchez and Aaron Nola for Games 1 and 2, with Jesus Luzardo’s status currently unclear. If Zeus were healthy, the calculation would look a lot different. Having Sanchez and Luzardo lined up for Tuesday and Wednesday would make a Wheeler start on Sunday far less risky, since that would leave Nola to handle Game 3 and Wheeler available to piggyback.
The broader point is hard to miss: if the Phillies are going to make noise in October, it figures to come through the rotation.
There’s another wrinkle, too. The Braves won 52 home games, the Cubs 45, and the Padres 49, which is part of the backdrop for how much value home field might actually carry.
One more detail in the mix: the Rays have already locked up the No. 1 seed in the AL, which makes this series at Citizens Bank Park meaningless for them.
So the question hangs there for the Phillies: do you use Wheeler on Sunday to chase the better seed, or save him and take your chances?
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Phillies Just Sent A Clear Message About Gage Woods Future
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Instead of pushing him into the spotlight for one more October-style run, Philadelphia opted to protect the long view and let Reading chase the title without him. The Fightin Phils still won the championship, and Woods absence only sharpened the message for the organizations future plans: his development matters more than a short postseason appearance, and the Phillies are treating him like a pitcher worth preserving. [Read more 🡒]