Philadelphia Phillies: Will They Secure the Playoff Spot?
The Philadelphia Phillies battle for playoff positioning. With the Phillies on a 7-game winning streak, can they challenge the Braves for the division title?
Video Transcript
'cause for whatever reason, the Atlanta Braves sort of middling through the month of August.
It feels like they clinched their playoff spot in July, but I don't think, Tom, what they counted on were the Philadelphia Phillies, for the second time this season, getting scorching hot.
Remember when they fired their manager- and brought in Don Mattingly?
They got scorching hot, fell back to the pack.
And now here they are again, having, going into Sunday, won seven games in a row.
They won every game this week, including two against the Cardinals and three against the Marlins.
And, you know, as we talked about last week, this is exactly what I anticipated.
I thought at some point Philadelphia was gonna get hot.
I still, Tom, don't think they win the division.
I think what people forget is now that the Phillies have pulled themselves within a few games of the Braves, they still will have to win, like, another 10 games in a row to overtake the Braves.
So that's not gonna happen.
But, I, I think Philly has a really good shot of now securing that second wild card position.
They pulled themselves a little bit awa- away from Miami and Arizona.
San Diego still hanging around there.
I fully expect the Phillies, who on FanGraphs now have over a 90% chance of making the postseason, I expect them to be in that second wild card spot with an outside shot of winning the division, but I, I think their spot- Yeah is secured.
How about you?
I would totally agree.
And, you know, looking back when the Braves had a nine-game lead or whatever it was in, in the division, I thought it was all wrapped up.
They're, you know, then done in June, whatever it was, early July.
But the Phillies, I think the division's still up for grabs.
I think they can get the number one wild card.
They're only two behind that from the Cubs.
They're three behind the Braves.
And really what it comes down to, which, you know, I just don't have off the, the, you know, at the top of my, at the top of hand right here, is how many times the Phillies have to play the Nats or the Mets to end the season.
Because we got- you know, five, six weeks left.
If they have more games against those teams than the Braves do, it really just sets the Phillies up to like, hey, they can take two out of three in every series.
They'll be constantly winning games, putting them in the spot to really just challenge the Braves for the division title at least.
Yeah.
It could go down to the end.
It's, it's ve- that's very possible.
