The Phils are postseason bound
The Philadelphia Phillies finally secured the bag, grabbing the last National League wildcard spot with a 7-3 dub over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. It was highkey giving "stress" for a minute there, but Bryce Harper and Edmundo Sosa came through with clutch home runs, while Zack Wheeler absolutely locked it down on the mound like a total main character.
The path to the wildcard
Real talk, it has been a rough week in Philly. The team had a chance to punch their ticket as early as Wednesday, but then they went on a four-game losing streak that almost let the Arizona Diamondbacks swipe their spot. Phillies managing partner and CEO John Middleton didn't sugarcoat it, calling the last few days a “living hell in slow motion.” Luckily, the squad stepped up when it counted to keep their season alive.
What’s next
The road gets even tougher now. The Phillies are heading to Atlanta on Tuesday to kick off a best-of-three series against their rivals, the Braves. The games are set for 2 p.m. ET on NBC. Elsewhere in the league, the Texas Rangers are officially out after a 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins, ending their postseason dreams.
Why it matters
After a chaotic regular season finale, the Phillies managed to survive their own slump to stay in the hunt for a title. Now that they're locked into the bracket, every game is a must-win, and their resilience is about to be tested against Atlanta.
