The Philadelphia Phillies lost Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday. The Mets jumped on starter Aaron Nola early and never surrendered the lead, beating Philadelphia 7-2. That sets up a Game 4 on Wednesday that could spell the end of the Fightins season. Outfielder Nick Castellanos knows that his Phillies have their backs against the wall and said so in his post-game press conference.
“As a group,” Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation posted, “this is the closest to death as we're ever gonna get. So in a way, we should feel the most alive. We're only promised tomorrow.”
While Castellanos' comments may seem extreme, his team needs to hear them. The Phillies lost in the World Series in 2022, the NLCS in 2023, and are dangerously close to falling short again this year. Despite the dose of reality, he knows the team still has a chance.
“I think it's, instead of just flushing it and forgetting it, I think right now it's really important to embrace what the situation is. If we lose, we're going home. Baseball's over for us,' the Phillies slugger said. “It's a great opportunity because if we're able to come in and scrape out a win here, I know that they do not want to go back to Philly for a Game 5.”
History does not favor the Phillies or the Mets in Game 4
Both teams need to overcome some demons to win Wednesday's game. The Mets have lost four straight clinching games at home, a drought that dates back to 2006. Meanwhile, the Phillies have lost four straight elimination games regardless of venue. That includes the collapses in 2023 and 2022.
The Phillies have also never lost Game 1 of a series and come back to win it. They lost the first game of this set because of their bullpen, which could not follow up Zach Wheeler's excellent performance. The Fightins won Game 2 on a walk-off hit from Castellanos. They were able to mount a comeback on the Mets' bullpen in that one.
Their opponent has the momentum needed to win a playoff series. The Mets started this season with minimal expectations and an 0-5 record. All of a sudden, they had a McDonald's mascot, Latin pop song, and viral sensation on their side. Add a postseason pumpkin and you have a quadfecta of good luck charms. Whether Grimace or Candelita will be on their side the rest of the way is yet to be seen.