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Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson (left) celebrates with catcher Gabriel Moreno following the last out of the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Diamondbacks Face Phillies in Must-Win Series at Chase Field

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Jack Sommers | Last updated Sep 19, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks host the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series at Chase Field starting Friday night. Every game is critical as the D-backs fight to stay in the NL Wild Card chase.

Arizona Diamondbacks Place in the Standings

The Diamondbacks' loss to the Giants in extra innings on Wednesday was costly. The Mets won on Thursday, to stretch their lead over Arizona to 2.0 games. The Cincinnati Reds also won, and are tied with the D-backs at 77-76.

The Reds hold the tiebreaker over the D-backs, so Arizona must finish ahead of Reds to get in. The D-backs cannot be eliminated via tie-break versus the Mets. If they tie the Mets, and the Reds (or Giants) don't keep pace, they're in.

Updated Chart after Mets victory today. D-backs 2 games back. If they tie Mets, they'll have the tie-breaker too. Impossible to tie Mets and not have better divisional record.

Remaining schedule:

NY Mets: 3 vs WSN, 3 @ CHC, 3 @ MIA
D-backs: 3 vs PHI, 3 vs LAD, 3 @ SDP pic.twitter.com/Pn0kSmX1y8
— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) September 18, 2025

Diamondbacks and Phillies Starting Pitching Matchups

Jack Sommers

Former Diamondback Taijuan Walker made 10 starts early in the season, pitching to a 3.53 ERA. Crowded out to the bullpen, he worked in relief for the next month, actually seeing his ERA rise.

He returned to the rotation in early July, and made 12 starts with a 4.62 ERA. He has not allowed less than four earned runs in any of his last four starts.

Ryne Nelson is having another very good season. He threw six shutout innings against the Twins in his most recent outing.

In his last 17 starts he's posted a 2.76 ERA, but been rewarded with just a 5-1 record. Nelson has been the victim of bad bullpen luck, as eight times he's left in line for the win only to have his bullpen blow the lead.

Jack Sommers

Aaron Nola has had a season from hell. He posted a 6.16 ERA through his first nine starts. He suffered a serious ankle injury that kept him out two months. In six starts since coming off the injured list he's posted a 6.89 ERA, but gotten run support, as evidenced by his 3-2 record in this stretch.

The 32-year-old Nola re-signed with the Phillies in November of 2023 to a $172 million contract that runs through 2030.

Zac Gallen continued his second half turnaround by throwing six innings of two-hit, one-run ball against the Giants on Monday. Since the trade deadline, he is 5-2 with a 2.68 ERA in nine starts. Gallen is a free agent at the end 2025 and is expected receive and likely turn down a qualifying offer.

Jack Sommers

Ranger Suarez made his season debut coming off the injured list to face the Diamondbacks on May 4. He was crushed to the tune of seven runs in 3.2 innings.

He's allowed more than three earned runs in a game just three times since that game. He's especially tough on left-hand batters, allowing just a .212 B.A. and .554 OPS against them.

Eduardo Rodriguez had his streak of excellent outings snapped when he gave up five runs in five innings on Tuesday. Four of those runs came in the first inning however, and he fought to keep his team in the game. The D-backs came back to win that game.