Phillies' Magic Number Remains the Same, Concerns Mounting

Sep 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez (4) is helped off the field by trainer Christian Bermudez and first base coach Paco Figueroa (38) after being injured during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Phillies' Magic Number Remains the Same, Concerns Mounting

Originally posted on Philadelphia Phillies on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Sep 25, 2026 10:33 AM ET

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The Philadelphia Phillies were unable to pick up the win on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Brewers and lost the series two games to one.

For a Phillies team that has been knocking on the doorstep of being a playoff team for a little while now, they have not performed well in September and down the stretch. With another series loss, the Phillies can’t feel great about how things are going, and there is reason to be concerned.

While the team has received some encouraging news about Jesus Luzardo as he tries to get ready for the playoffs, they suffered a major injury to Luis Arraez. When running to first base, Arraez went down hard and immediately started to hold his lower leg.

Shortly after, the team announced an ankle sprain for the All-Star second baseman, and with just three regular-season games before the playoffs start, the timing is far from ideal. Arraez was the big trade deadline acquisition for the team, and with the offense not performing, they certainly didn’t want to see him go down.

With the loss and a win by the Diamondbacks, the magic number for the Phillies to clinch a playoff spot remains at two. Fortunately, they will be heading to play a Tampa Bay Rays team that has already secured the American League and has been starting to plan for October.

Magic Number Remains the Same

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the Phillies have been able to keep pace with the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs in the wild card race despite not playing well, the Padres have created some separation.

San Diego has taken a two-game lead on the Phillies, and are up by one on the Cubs. Both of these teams have clinched, and it is Philadelphia who will be hoping to do the same soon.

The Phillies are still very much in the driver's seat in the race, but things have become a bit dicey. Arizona will be playing three games against the Padres, and while San Diego has clinched a playoff berth, getting the top seed in the Wild Card still holds a lot of value, and they should be trying to win.

Overall, while Philadelphia still has a strong chance of making the playoffs, their recent play has been far from good. This is a team that wants to get into the dance and see what their veteran group can accomplish, but there’s not too much to be optimistic about right now.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Phillies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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