Cubs Should Be Rooting For The Phillies In September

The Chicago Cubs have officially been overtaken by the Philadelphia Phillies for the top Wild Card spot in the National League. 

The Cubs held that top Wild Card spot for most of the last two months. But the Phillies' recent surge has put them in the driver’s seat to host the Wild Card series in this year’s postseason. Philadelphia’s 21-7 record since August 1 is the best in baseball. 

The Phillies are currently one game up on the Cubs in the Wild Card standings. Philadelphia, in the midst of a six-game winning streak, is 79-60 on the season, while the North Siders will enter Wednesday’s game against the Brewers with a 78-61 record. 

In most cases, fans shouldn’t be rooting for a team above them in the standings. The Cubs definitely want to host a Wild Card series at Wrigley Field and shouldn’t be rooting for the Phillies to keep winning. 

So why should fans be rooting for Philadelphia down the stretch?

It’s pretty simple. 

The Cubs should want the Phillies to overtake the Atlanta Braves in the National League East standings. Philadelphia is just three games behind the Braves for first place in the NL East standings, and the two teams will face each other six more times before the end of the season.

The Braves would be a much better matchup for the Cubs than the Phillies. In a three-game series, Philadelphia would throw out Christopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo. Sanchez has a 2.52 ERA, Wheeler has a 3.31 ERA, and Luzardo has a 3.02 ERA this season. 

Those would be three really difficult matchups for the Cubs offense. Although this offense did rock both Sanchez (six runs allowed across 5 ⅓ innings) and Luzardo (eight earned runs across 5 ⅓ innings) earlier this year, both pitchers definitely look a lot different five months later. 

Avoiding those three pitchers in a three-game series, along with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Trea Turner on offense, would be big for the Cubs. 

In a three-game series with the Braves, Chicago would really only have to worry about Chris Sale. After Sale, Atlanta would throw out Bryce Elder (4.11 ERA), Martin Perez (3.05 ERA), or Tyler Mahle (4.27 ERA) for the final two games. 

If the Cubs can somehow earn that top Wild Card spot and avoid the Phillies, that would feel like a win. The only way that happens is if Philadelphia keeps winning and eventually overtakes the Braves in the NL East standings. 

No one wants to face this Phillies team right now.