Phillies Playoff Chances? – The Edition GA

In the most important game of the season, the Phillies were only down one run after a long, grueling battle. It was the bottom of the ninth inning and Ryan Howard stepped up to the plate. With two outs and two strikes one the board, one mistake would throw the entire season away. The pitcher threw the ball. The result was a ground ball straight to first — an easy out. The whole crowd groaned with disappointment, and just like that: the Phillies’ season was over.

Since that 2011 game, the Phillies have not made a playoff run. For the last 10 years, they have suffered a playoff drought. This year, the Phillies are turning over a new leaf with a potential opportunity to make the playoffs. As of September 26, 2021, the Phillies’ record is 81 and 74, which is one win short of tying the Braves, who are sitting at the top of the division with a record of 82 wins and 71 losses. To get a playoff spot, the Phillies have to gain at least one game on the Braves. Both teams have seven games left in the season with three of them being against each other. The Phillies, after they play a three game series against the Braves, play against the Marlins, who have a record of 64 wins and 90 losses. If the Phillies are able to win two games out of three against the Braves, and sweep the Marlins, then they will have a good shot at having a postseason. In order to do this they must win five out of the next six games with three of them against the Braves. This will be a challenging feat for the Phillies, who have been inconsistent throughout the season.

Although the team as a whole has performed inconsistently, some players have displayed great leadership skills: “So far, Bryce Harper has been the best player on the team” and is “having an MVP season,” said Charlie Morris, Class of 2025, a steadfast Phillies fan. This is corroborated by the stats of Bryce Harper, who is leading the team in batting with 34 home runs, 82 RBIs, 98 runs, and 40 doubles. In addition, his batting average, .313, is also the best on the team. From these stats, it can be said that Bryce Harper is at the core of the Phillies’ offense. Moving on to defense, Zach Wheeler is leading the team in pitching. He has 14 wins, a low earned run average of 2.79, and 240 strikeouts. Thus, much of the Phillies’ success this season had been due to the leadership on the team by Bryce Harper and Zach Wheeler.

Looking to the future, much of the Phillies’ playoff chances are riding on their series against the Braves. Every game they win in that series is a loss for the Braves, which is like two steps towards the playoffs. If they lose two games in the series with the Braves, their chances of making the playoffs by clinching the division are almost nonexistent. In addition to the Braves, they also have to sweep the Marlins. On the other hand, the Phillies have a positive momentum, as they have won the last five games. If the Phillies’ keep their momentum going, with stars Bryce Harper and Zach Wheeler leading the team, they have a chance at making the playoffs for the first time since 2011!