The race for the final two National League wild card spots isn't fully settled, but we know that the Philadelphia Phillies have officially clinched one of the spots. With their win over the Houston Astros last night, the Phillies secured the final wild card spot in the National League, and will see if they can surpass the San Diego Padres over the final two games of the season for the number five seed in the NL.
It hasn't always been a smooth ride for the Phillies. They fired their manager Joe Girardi after a 22-29 start to the season, but proceeded to go 65-44 the rest of the way with Rob Thompson leading the way. They didn't pose much of a threat in the NL East behind the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, but it became clear they were a wild card threat midway through the season.
The Phillies still had to battle a ton of injuries along the way, but with the playoffs right around the corner, they appear to be in great shape. They will still have a tough road to the World Series considering they are a wild card team, but in the MLB Playoffs, anything can happen. With that in mind, let's run through three reasons why the Phillies will end up being World Series champions.
3. The Phillies lineup is one of the deepest in the league
Philadelphia's lineup has always looked very strong on paper, and heading into the playoffs, it looks as good as it has all season. Of course, it's worth noting that they have dealt with attrition and injuries all season long, but they look ready to do some damage with the playoffs right around the corner.
Up and down the lineup, it's tough to find many weaknesses. Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins have been leading the way for most of the season, with Schwarber smoking 46 home runs despite hitting just .219 on the season, and Hoskins hitting 30 himself.
Even beyond them, there are a ton of strong pieces in this lineup. Bryce Harper is back after missing time with a fractured thumb, J.T. Realmuto has been consistent behind the plate at catcher, even Nick Castellanos, who has struggled in his first season in Philly, has been contributing this season. The Phillies lineup hasn't ever really been at full strength during the regular season, but with the playoffs right around the corner, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
2. The Phillies pitching staff finally has consistent roles
Similar to their lineup, Philly's pitching staff hasn't ever really been at full strength this season. Their starting rotation has been pieced together for much of the season, and their bullpen was an absolute mess at the beginning of the year. But again, things are different heading into the playoffs.
The Phillies have a dynamite starting duo of Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler leading the way, with Ranger Suarez likely filling in as the third guy. Kyle Gibson has struggled in his first full season with the Phillies, meaning that he may get pushed to the bullpen in favor of Bailey Falter, Noah Syndergaard, or Zach Eflin for the role as the fourth guy in the starting rotation.
In the bullpen, the roles aren't exactly set, but that has actually worked in the Phillies favor throughout the second half of the season. They have a number of guys who can fill any role in the back of the bullpen, with David Robertson and Seranthony Dominguez being their two best weapons. That versatility at the backend of the bullpen will be crucial, and could end up keeping their opponent off balance throughout a series.
1. The Phillies are finally healthy
It's been alluded to a bit throughout this article, but this is the healthiest the Phillies have been in quite some time. They won't be getting back Corey Knebal, who was their closer for most of the season, but it looks like Brad Hand is hoping to return once the playoffs start, which would strengthen their bullpen even more.
Elsewhere. key cogs in the lineup such as Harper and Castellanos have dealt with injuries throughout the season, but are good to go now that the playoffs are near. Zack Wheeler has also made a return after missing most of the month of September, giving Philadelphia the top-tier duo needed atop their pitching staff to win a playoff series.
You aren't going to win if your best players aren't on the field, but Philadelphia finally has most of their key pieces together with the postseason on the horizon. The Phillies have been one of the best teams in the league since appointing Thompson as their manager, and even though they are a wild card team, it wouldn't be a complete surprise to see them get hot at the right time and go on a tear to win the 2022 World Series.
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