Phillies Shave Magic Number for NL East Title After Beating Brewers

With the victory, the Phillies’ magic number to win the division to 19. That’s a combination of Phillies wins and New York Mets losses to claim the division title. The Mets won their game on Monday, so the Phillies were only able to gain one game on their magic number. The same went for the magic number to clinch the playoff berth.

To figure that, one must look at the first team outside the NL Wild Card race, which happens to be the Cincinnati Reds. Any combination of Philadelphia victories and Cincinnati losses allows the Phillies to trim that number. As Cincinnati won on Monday, the Phillies’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth dropped to 15, thanks to their win.

The Brewers are 4.5 games ahead of the Phillies for the No. 1 seed, which would give that seed homefield advantage throughout the National League playoffs. The Phillies are 1.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the No. 2 seed. That comes with a bye through the wild card playoffs and home-field advantage in the divisional round.

The Mets and Phillies meet one last time from Sept. 8-11. That will likely be New York’s last stand when it comes to having any shot at winning the division.

The Phillies are seeking to make 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 Playoff Berth: 15

Magic Number to Clinch NL East: 19

Philadelphia Phillies Games Remaining: 24

Philadelphia Phillies Remaining Schedule: Sept. 3-4, at Milwaukee; Sept. 5-7, at Miami; Sept. 8-11, vs. New York Mets; Sept. 12-14, 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. 1)

Philadelphia Phillies: 80-58 (lead division)

New York Mets: 74-64 (6.0 games behind)

New York Mets Remaining Schedule (24 games): Sept. 2-3, at Detroit; Sept. 5-7, at Cincinnati; Sept. 8-11, at Philadelphia; Sept. 12-14, vs. Texas; Sept. 16-18, vs. San Diego; Sept. 19-21, vs. Washington; Sept. 23-25 at Chicago Cubs; Sept. 26-28, at Miami.