Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Thanks to a nine-game winning streak, the Philadelphia Phillies have not only sparked a baseball fever within the city, but have nearly locked themselves into the playoffs once again.
To clinch a playoff berth, the Phillies will need to keep pace ahead of either the San Diego Padres or Arizona Diamondbacks at this stage of the game. It would take a near miracle run by clubs such as the Miami Marlins or St. Louis Cardinals to enter the race.
However, the Phillies are no longer concerning themselves with just making the playoffs. They are now hunting down the Atlanta Braves for the division title. Philly is looking to win their third straight National League East crown.
Heading into Monday, August 24th, the Phillies trail the Atlanta Braves by 3.0 games in the division. Atlanta currently holds the tiebreaker between the two, meaning the Phillies need to win four more games than the Braves at this juncture of the season.
Luckily, these two teams will meet seven more times before the season ends. This gives the Phillies a fighting chance to surpass the Braves.
Both of these clubs have gone through their ups and downs. At some points in the season, each team could not lose. At others, they couldn't find any way to win. That rollercoaster ride has led to a hot division race with 31 games to go.
MORE: Magical comeback carries Phillies to ninth straight victory
For the Phillies, they likely need to go 5-2 against the Braves to truly have a chance to pass them. The direct victory is the simplest way to retake control of their own destiny. No matter what, winning each series will be a must to stay in the hunt.
One of the barometers of a true contending team is a club’s record against playoff opponents. Below is a list of the current National League standings, with the Phillies’ record and games remaining against each potential playoff opponent.
NLC - Milwaukee Brewers (1-2, 3 games remaining)
NLW - Los Angeles Dodgers (2-4, 0 games remaining)
NLE - Atlanta Braves (1-5, 7 games remaining)
WC1 - Chicago Cubs (1-6, 0 games remaining)
WC2 – Philadelphia Phillies
WC3 - San Diego Padres (6-0, 0 games remaining)
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Arizona Diamondbacks (1-2, 3 games remaining) – 1 GB
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Three of the current playoff teams have concluded their season series with the Phillies. The Los Angeles Dodgers won four of six against the Phils, with the Chicago Cubs winning six of seven.
The only season series among playoff teams that the Phillies have a winning record against was the San Diego Padres, whom they swept six games to none.
Overall, the Phillies are 12-19 against the teams listed above. However, the bulk of their games against the Braves and all their games against the Cubs were played in April, when the team was at its lowest.
The Phillies embark on a long road trip starting Monday in Seattle.
They visit a Mariners team fighting for their own playoff survival. Seattle enters play at 62-69, 3 games back of both the American League West and the final Wild Card spot. The Mariners, of course, went to game seven of the ALCS a season ago.
After Seattle, the Phillies travel to Anaheim, where they find a struggling Angels' club looking for their season to conclude peacefully. Since releasing several members of their pitching coaching staff, the team has found recent dominance. The Phillies will have to avoid taking their foot off the gas against a lottery team.
Finally, the Phillies conclude their longest road trip of the season with a three-game series in Arizona. The club has historically always struggled in the desert, most notably in the 2023 NLCS.
With the Diamondbacks on their heels, the Phillies must win the series against Arizona to keep pace in the Wild Card. The Diamondbacks will be playing for their season once these two teams meet. They may be doing so without top player Ketel Marte, who has left the team for undisclosed reasons.
When they return to Philadelphia on September 4th, their dance with the Atlanta Braves will be set.
