Wild Card Race
The Phillies find themselves in the thick of the National League Wild Card race. Although the past two seasons they have been in the playoff race, this feels like the year they get over the hump and break the 10-year playoff drought.
Currently, Atlanta sits atop the wild card standings. They are then trailed by the Padres, Phillies, and Cardinals.
| Team | W-L | GB |
| Atlanta | 63-42 | + 6.5 |
| San Diego | 61-46 | + 3.5 |
| Philadelphia | 56-48 | WC 3 |
| St. Louis | 55-48 | .5 |
| San Francisco | 51-54 | 5.5 |
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta has a massive series this week. They head to New York to take on the Mets in a five game series. This will have serious playoff implications not only for the NL East, but also the wild card. We could find the Braves within reaching distance or see them atop the standings after the weekend .
San Diego Padres
San Diego finishes a series against Colorado before they head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. This will be a tough series for the Padres and could open the door for the Phillies to get closer to that second wild card spot.
St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis heads to New York next to take on the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees have the best record in the American League and hopefully can help the Phillies out this week. Getting some breathing room from St. Louis would be nice.
San Francisco Giants
Although a bit further back, the Giants are still in the race. They have two more games against the Dodgers before taking on Oakland in The Bay Bridge Series.
Philadelphia Phillies
Finally, we get to the Phillies, who are set to begin a seven-game homestand on Thursday. First, they take on the Nationals in a four-game series. The Phillies have no business dropping more than one game in this series and could solidify themselves in that third spot after the weekend.
The Phillies have been right on the heels of the Padres, but a huge deadline day could help San Diego hold onto that spot. Unfortunately, even though the Phillies got better, they didn’t make big splashes like San Diego.
Most importantly, the Phillies have been doing this without Bryce Harper, Jean Segura, and a fifth starter. They will have all three of those back at some point before the playoffs. I don’t see the Phillies catching San Diego, and I think Philadelphia and St. Louis will battle the rest of the season for the final playoff spot.
Currently, the Phillies would play the Brewers in the first round of the playoffs, which is a favorable matchup for them. If they were in the second wild card spot, they would take on the Braves so it is probably better for the Phillies to finish in the third spot.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Phillies
