The Philadelphia Phillies can clinch a playoff spot tonight, but they will need some help.
The Philadelphia Phillies were able to grab a huge win against the Milwaukee Brewers to open their three-game series, giving themselves some life.
Philadelphia has been fighting for playoff positioning of late, with the team struggling to put together much consistency on the field. But against the Brewers, the Phillies were able to generate a strong team effort to get the win.
With the victory, the Phillies' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now sitting at just two games. Philadelphia can clinch tonight, but they will need some help in order to make it happen.
The situation is very simple for the Phillies entering the second game of the series with the Brewers. If Philadelphia were to take down Milwaukee once again, while also seeing the Arizona Diamondbacks fall to the Colorado Rockies, the Phillies would be into the playoffs.
Arizona beat the Rockies last night to keep themselves alive in the playoff race, but they are on life support. Even if the Phillies can't clinch tonight, the chances of them getting into the playoffs remain very high.
While the National League East division is no longer winnable for the Phillies, a wild-card spot is up for grabs. Philadelphia is battling against the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres for positioning, with home-field advantage in the wild-card series on the line.
Getting home-field advantage would be huge for the Phillies, even though they have actually been a little stronger on the road this season. Philadelphia currently owns a record of 42-34 at Citizens Bank Park, while holding a record of 45-36 on the road.
Overall, the goal for Philadelphia is simple and the team could be heading toward October in the coming days, if not tonight. But this team understands that the job isn't done yet, and the true measure of the season will come in the playoffs.
The Phillies want to win the World Series, and they have a collection of talent to make it a reality this season. But this group will need to come together to make it happen, starting with finishing the regular season on a high note.
After the series with the Brewers, the Phillies will be hosting the Tampa Bay Rays for the finale three games of the season. Both Milwaukee and Tampa Bay are the two best teams in each league, giving Philadelphia a true test to end the year.
