When Rob Thomson took over as interim manager of the Philadelphia Phillies in June 2022, no one expected the two-and-a-half-year run they'd put together. The Phils clinched their third consecutive playoff berth under Thomson last week and captured their first division title since 2011 Monday night.

With two of their three regular-season goals secured, the Phillies will aim for the No. 1 seed in the National League during the final five games of the season. It's important in the minds of many in the clubhouse, Thomson included. He knows staying healthy this week is the bigger priority.

“The biggest things for me, really, are winning the division and getting the bye,” Thomson said, per The Associated Press. “If we get home field throughout, that's a bonus. But I won't put our players in danger to get there.”

The Phillies have stayed relatively healthy this season but have faced long stretches without key players.

Shortstop Trea Turner missed six weeks with a hamstring injury. Catcher J.T. Realmuto had knee surgery in June that kept him out for over a month. Starter Ranger Suarez missed time with back soreness, while Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber had nearly simultaneous stints on the injured list in early July.

The most talented team doesn’t always win the World Series. Keeping players fresh and healthy – or at least as much as you can after the grind of a 162-game regular season – is perhaps the biggest key to winning in the MLB playoffs. Rob Thomson seems to have a plan to maximize that advantage for the Phils.

Phillies battling Dodgers for NL's top seed

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The Phillies and Dodgers have battled for the National League's No. 1 seed for much of the second half. It's only fitting that the race for home-field advantage through the NLCS, and possibly the World Series, is coming down to the final week of the regular season.

As it stands, the Phillies trail the Dodgers by a half-game in the loss column. Both teams are tied with 93 wins while the Dodgers have six games left to the Phillies' five.

The Phillies do have an edge with the tiebreaker in their favor. Philadelphia will be the No. 1 seed if the teams finish with identical records after winning the season series over LA.

Regardless, it appears both teams will secure a bye to the NLDS and a few extra days to rest up for what both expect to be deep playoff runs. The Milwaukee Brewers, winners of the NL Central, are 3 1/2 games behind the Phillies for the two-seed. They do not own the tiebreaker over either the Dodgers or Phils.

The Phillies have enjoyed home cooking in the playoffs over the past two seasons, going 12-4 at Citizens Bank Park. Philly hopes to be rocking as much as possible again this October, with maybe even a November game sprinkled in there.