The Phillies are suddenly on the doorstep of a playoff berth, and Wednesday’s win over the Washington Nationals pushed them a little closer.
Philadelphia had dropped four of its previous five games before Zack Wheeler steadied things with a classic outing. The veteran right-hander went seven innings, gave up four hits and walked one, giving the Phillies exactly the kind of performance they needed while the offense continued to search for more consistency.
The timing of the win mattered, too. With help again from the Miami Marlins against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia’s magic number to clinch a playoff spot fell from eight to six. That opens the door for the Phillies to clinch as soon as this weekend, though it would take both strong play from Philadelphia and some assistance from the New York Yankees, who are set to visit Arizona.
That possibility makes the upcoming four-game set against the New York Mets even more interesting. The Phillies can put themselves in position to wrap up a berth over the weekend, and the series gives them a chance to keep building momentum as October approaches.
The playoff picture around them is tightening fast. The Diamondbacks have slipped 3.5 games behind the San Diego Padres for the final postseason spot, and San Diego is only one game behind the Phillies. Philadelphia, meanwhile, is staying right with the Chicago Cubs, who are just a half game ahead.
Beginning Thursday, the Phillies will try to keep that momentum going against a Mets team that has played a little better lately despite already being eliminated. For New York, spoiling a division rival’s weekend is the mission.
For Philadelphia, the focus is much bigger: finish the job and, with some help, punch the ticket. There is also uncertainty around the health of Jesus Luzardo, who was scheduled for Friday, leaving the Phillies with a pitching decision to sort through before the series rolls on.
In Other News...
Phillies Face A Sneaky October Catcher Decision Behind Realmuto
The Phillies have spent most of the season with the catching picture centered on J.T. Realmuto, but the discussion behind him is suddenly a little more interesting as October approaches. Garrett Stubbs and Rafael Marchn are both on the roster as backups, and neither has offered much at the plate, which usually makes the decision feel straightforward until the postseason forces teams to weigh every little edge.
Marchn complicates things because the glove has carried more value than the bat, and that matters when a club starts thinking about short series and late-inning margins. The Phillies may end up leaning on his defensive profile when they settle on the backup role for the playoffs, turning what looked like a routine depth question into one of those sneaky roster calls that can shape October more than it seems in August. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies May Already Have A Luis Arraez Problem This Winter
Luis Arraez has spent the season reminding everyone why his name stays in the middle of winter conversations. The free agent has posted a 3.2 bWAR, led MLB with a .316 batting average and even helped bolster his defensive profile along the way, all of which has only strengthened his standing as one of the more intriguing bats on the market. For the Phillies, theres also been a quieter benefit: Arraez has had a positive influence on Bryce Harper, giving Philadelphia another reason to keep him in the picture beyond the raw numbers.
The problem is that his market may be getting bigger than the clubs comfort zone. Philadelphia is interested in bringing him back, but Arraezs improved stock could draw multiple teams into the mix and make a return less straightforward than it once seemed. What looked like a manageable offseason decision may already be turning into the kind of bidding battle that forces a front office to choose between what it wants and what it can realistically hold onto. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Suddenly Have A New Rotation Puzzle After Luzardo Injury
The Phillies moved quickly to shore up the staff after Jess Luzardo landed on the injured list, claiming right-hander Jos Urquidy off waivers from the White Sox and clearing a 40-man roster spot by moving Caleb Kilian to the 60-day injured list. It is the kind of bullpen-and-rotation housekeeping that suddenly matters more when a pitching plan gets unsettled, and Philadelphia is now trying to keep enough depth in place while it sorts out the next turn through the schedule.
Manager Don Mattingly said Urquidy is expected to arrive before the next game and could be available out of the bullpen, while Andrew Painter is lined up to start on Saturday. For the Phillies, the immediate question is how to patch together innings without overextending the rest of the staff, especially with Luzardo out and the rotation already shifting around him. [Read more 🡒]