After Phillies Win, Diamondbacks Eliminated from Playoff Race

Sep 27, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (3) celebrates his home run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After Phillies Win, Diamondbacks Eliminated from Playoff Race

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Sep 27, 2026 5:33 PM ET

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The Arizona Diamondbacks have officially been eliminated from Postseason contention, following the Philadelphia Phillies' 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.

The Diamondbacks, who surged back in to the playoff race, needed both a victory themselves and a loss by the Phillies to take hold of the third and final Wild Card berth.

But, with the Phillies' playoff-clinching win, that cannot happen. Arizona can now finish no better than 87-75. The Phillies are 88-74. Philadelphia had lost back-to-back games in which they scored just one total run against the Rays, but jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and never relinquished it.

Arizona will miss the playoffs — with a winning record — for the second time in three seasons. For the fourth time in four seasons, the race came down to the final series of the regular season.

Diamondbacks eliminated from playoff race by Phillies win

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Arizona was in the midst of a hot streak. Coming into their season-ending series in San Diego, they had just won five straight games. They made it six after taking a strong 11-4 victory in game one against the Padres.

But in game two, a planned bullpen game ended in disaster. Arizona surrendered 10 earned runs, spurred on by both poor pitching and some rare outfield mistakes. The Diamondbacks had to at least win two out of three, and likely had to sweep.

With the Phillies scraping out one of three against the Rays, sweeping San Diego would have been the only way for Arizona to make it. That chance expired on Saturday, regardless of Sunday's outcome.

Arizona remained alive heading in to game 162. They simply could not control their own destiny. The D-backs have now missed the playoffs in three straight years, despite marching all the way to the World Series back in the 2023 season.

The Diamondbacks were not a trendy pick to make the postseason ahead of the 2026 regular season. Questions swirled about the pitching and aspects of the offense.

Though there were certainly some bumps in the road, Arizona's 2026 season could be viewed as a pleasant surprise. It could also be seen as a missed opportunity, considering the thin margin by which the D-backs will miss the playoffs.

And so, the book will close on the Diamondbacks' 2026 season, pending the outcome of a game three finale in San Diego that has become meaningless.

This article first appeared on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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