Phillies Could Clinch NL East Crown as Early as Sunday’s Finale with Royals

This has been an incredible week for the Phillies (89-60). Entering this week, going into a four-game series with the New York Mets, Philadelphia had a magic number of 13 to win the division title. It would have been far-fetched to predict what happened next.

Since the magic number is a combination of Phillies wins and Mets losses, Philadelphia stood a good chance of gaining ground on clinching the title. But few could have expected a four-game sweep of the Mets. That dropped the magic number to five.

New York headed back to Queens to face the Texas Rangers, who had won four straight games going into that series. The Phillies hosted the Royals. One might have expected Philly’s run to the title to slow a bit. But it didn’t. Philadelphia beat Kansas City on Friday and again on Saturday. New York continued to slump. The Mets fell to Texas on Friday and again on Saturday, the latter of which saw New York lose a late 2-0 lead.

Now, all Philadelphia must to do to clinch the division on Sunday is to either beat the Royals or have the Mets lose to the Rangers.

The Phillies are on the verge of making the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Back in 2022, the franchise made the World Series as a wild card team. In 2023, Philadelphia reached the NL Championship Series and last season the Phillies lost in the divisional round.

The Phillies have not won consecutive division titles since earlier this century, when they won five straight NL East crowns from 2007-11. In that span they won the 2008 World Series, went to the World Series again in 2009 and reached the NL Championship Series in 2010.

Philadelphia Phillies Magic Number Watch

Magic Number to Clinch NL East: 1

Philadelphia Phillies Games Remaining: 13

Philadelphia Phillies Remaining Schedule: Sept. 14, vs. Kansas City; Sept. 15-17, at Los Angeles Dodgers; Sept. 19-21, at Arizona; Sept. 23-25 vs. Miami; Sept. 26-28, vs. Minnesota.

NL East Standings (after Sept. 13)

Philadelphia Phillies: 89-60 (lead division)

New York Mets: 76-73 (13.0 games behind)

New York Mets Remaining Schedule (13 games): Sept. 14, vs. Texas; Sept. 16-18, vs. San Diego; Sept. 19-21, vs. Washington; Sept. 23-25 at Chicago Cubs; Sept. 26-28, at Miami.