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Not long ago the Philadelphia Phillies were perennial losers and owners of the longest playoff drought in the National League. Consecutive trips to the NLCS and a World Series appearance in 2022 changed the narrative surrounding the Phils and they're now one of the top contenders for a championship in 2024.
Philadelphia was on a historic pace earlier this season and looked likely to smash franchise and perhaps league records along the way. An early-summer stumble halted the Phils' momentum, but they afforded themselves the cushion with such a dominant first two months of the season.
Barring a collapse of epic proportions, the Phillies will claim their first division title since 2011. They hold a seven-game lead over the Atlanta Braves with 23 games left. While winning the division will be a great feeling for the Phils and their fanbase, finishing with the best record in baseball would be even sweeter.
Only a half-game separates them from that spot as the Los Angeles Dodgers have one more win with the same amount of losses. The Phillies own the tiebreaker over the Dodgers after winning both series against LA, giving Philadelphia a little edge as the regular season winds down.
As great as the Phillies are, they are not without their flaws. They arguably have the best starting rotation in MLB and their bullpen has improved tremendously. Rather shockingly, it's the offense that could cause problems for the Phils in the postseason.
Even with superstar sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber to go along with fellow All-Stars Trea Turner and Alec Bohm, the Phillies offense has gone quiet for long spurts throughout the season. An untimely slump in October might be their downfall again.
Phillies' lineup can't go flat in October
After the Phillies eliminated the Braves for the second consecutive postseason and the Arizona Diamondbacks upset the Dodgers last October, it seemed Philadelphia was a surefire pick to reach the World Series again. Two convincing wins to open the NLCS had the City of Brotherly Love dreaming of a parade. Then, it happened.
The Phillies lost four of five to close the series, including Games 6 and 7 at home, leaving themselves and the baseball world stunned as the sixth-seeded D-backs stole the pennant. A major factor in losing those last two games was the offense which produced only three runs and posted a 2-for-17 line with runners in scoring position.
Philly has been pretty solid with runners in scoring position this season. A .266 batting average and .766 OPS are good enough for ninth and 11th in baseball, respectively. The Phillies rank sixth in RBIs with runners in scoring position.
The overall numbers are promising and there is undoubtedly talent in the Phillies' lineup, but even the best fall. Philly's offense has had its lapses recently, even in a three-week span where they've won 14 of 20.
In a recent seven-game stretch they averaged three runs per, although they went 5-2 during that span. Before that, there was a five-game skid where the Phillies went 1-4 and averaged 2.8 runs. That included a series loss to the Braves in which the Phils struck out 13 and 14 times in two separate games.
Every lineup is bound to go through slumps, that's just how baseball is. The Phillies' pitching staff is better than last year with more reliable options and fewer question marks. That should take some pressure off the lineup, but the offense cannot have a repeat of the final two games of their 2023 season nor can they have a series-long slump in the MLB playoffs.
From the clubhouse to the stands, Philly is itching for a championship
Perhaps no fanbase is as electric in sports right now as that of the Phillies. Citizens Bank Park has become a fortress few teams have been able to succeed at. The way Philadephia's schedule shakes out the rest of September, the Philly faithful will be eager for the return of postseason baseball.
The Phillies have only nine home games remaining in the regular season. If everything goes to plan – meaning they claim a playoff berth, the NL East, secure the top record in MLB and reach the World Series – the Phils would at minimum have six playoff home games. That number rises to 11 if they make the Fall Classic and all three of their postseason series go the distance.
Regardless of where they land seeding-wise or who they play, the Phillies have one goal in mind. Capturing a title is the only way to label this season as a success. It doesn’t matter how they do it, so long as they win. If not, it will be another missed opportunity and another disappointing fall in the Delaware Valley.
The heartbreaks of the past two postseasons, paired with a Super Bowl loss for the Eagles in Feb. 2023, left a bitter taste in Philadelphia sports fans' mouths. All of that can be washed away with a World Series title this fall. If the Phillies' lineup can limit the strikeouts and stay consistent throughout the playoffs, there might be that parade Philadelphia has been looking for.
