The Philadelphia Phillies' season got off to a rough start. In the early months of the season, Bryce Harper was hurt, Trea Turner was lost, and Kyle Schwarber was all-time bad at the plate. Injuries, inconsistency, and simple mistakes kept the reigning NL champs near the bottom of the division.
Flash forward to September, and the Phillies are 79-67. That places them second in the NL East (behind the uncatchable Braves) and within reach of the top wild card spot. That's not a dissimilar arc to last season, when the Phillies rode a late-season surge all the way to a World Series appearance.
As the Phils look to establish their place in the standings and mount another Cinderella run in the playoffs, here's how the wild card race is shaping up.
What is the Philadelphia Phillies' magic number?
As of Sept. 14, the Phillies' magic number to secure a wild card spot is 13 wins. There are 15 games left on the schedule, which means a critical couple of weeks is on the docket. This Phillies team knows how to perform under pressure, but a recent spate of late-game flourishes followed by gut-wrenching collapses has left Philadelphia in a precarious position.
Over the last three weeks, the Phillies have hit a game-tying or go-ahead home run in the eighth or ninth inning on five separate occasions. The team has lost all five of those games. That is terrible luck, but also a potentially fatal flaw. The Phillies have a ton of power in the lineup and genuine clutch performers, but slow starts and late-game giveaways are no way to mount a postseason run.
The Phillies' bats have been absolute magic of late. Trea Turner is on an all-time heater in the context of his previous struggles. After looking utterly incompetent for half the season, Philadelphia's big summer signing is back to his All-Star ways. He's up to a very respectable .270/.321/.472 on the season with 26 home runs, two shy of his career high.
'Schwarbombs' have become a staple of the Phillies' early-inning offense, while Bryce Harper's return to full health has been a welcomed development. Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, Nick Castellanos — there are quality bats up and down the lineup.
If Craig Kimbrell and the bullpen can get on track, these epic comebacks are going to stick eventually. There's reason to believe the Phillies' fighting spirit and recent history of contending will translate to the 2023 playoffs. Now, it's a matter of securing their spot and giving themselves a fighting chance.