The Philadelphia Phillies are back on top! For the first time since 2011, they’ve won the National League East division.
They secured the division title with a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night, and the fans at Citizens Bank Park couldn’t have been happier.
The game was electric, with a sellout crowd of 42,386 fans cheering the team on. Phillies stars Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto hit home runs, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
But it wasn’t just about the offense — pitcher Aaron Nola stepped up in a big way, showing just how important he is to this team.
Nola has been with the Phillies his entire career, ever since they drafted him in 2014. He’s known for being one of the most reliable pitchers in the game, and this night was no different.
Nola helped seal the win, which was especially fitting considering all he’s done for the team over the years. Last postseason, he was a key player with a 2.35 ERA in four playoff starts.
And though he briefly explored free agency last offseason, he ended up signing a huge seven-year, $172 million deal to stay in Philadelphia—and this division title was a great reward for his loyalty.
However, the road to winning the NL East this season wasn’t smooth.
The Phillies started strong, with a 50-25 record that was the best in baseball through the first 75 games, something no team had done since the 2001 Seattle Mariners.
But they hit a rough patch over the summer, including a 2-5 stretch against the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. Still, they bounced back when it mattered most.
Of course, this victory means a lot to Phillies fans, who’ve had to wait a long time to see their team on top of the division again. From 2007 to 2011, the Phillies dominated the NL East, winning five straight division titles.
But after 2011, the team went through a tough stretch, missing the playoffs entirely for ten years.
It wasn’t until 2022 that the Phillies finally made it back to the postseason, thanks to a wild-card spot.
They even made it to the World Series, though they lost to the Houston Astros in six games.
Last year, they were back in the playoffs as a wild-card team and made it to the National League Championship Series.
However, they blew a 3-2 series lead and lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven games, falling just short of another World Series appearance.
But this year is different.
Winning the division gives them momentum heading into the playoffs, where they’re chasing their third World Series title.
They previously won championships in 1980 and 2008. Building on that success, they’ve already ended the Atlanta Braves’ streak of six straight NL East titles.
Moving forward, they aim to finish with the best record in Major League Baseball, which will give them a home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Right now, the Phillies are 93-64 and hold the second-best record in the National League, just behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are 93-63.
If the Phillies can maintain this spot, they’ll get a first-round bye in the playoffs, allowing their players to rest and prepare for their next challenge.
Manager Rob Thomson, who has guided this team through the ups and downs of the season, is focused on the big picture.
“The biggest things for me, really, are winning the division and getting the bye,” Thomson said.
“If we get home field throughout, that’s a bonus. But I won’t put our players in danger to get there.”
The Phillies’ players and fans were ready to celebrate after the win. Anticipating a wild celebration, the team rolled out the tarps in the locker room before the game.
After the final out, the team rushed onto the field, and the Phillie Phanatic, the team’s mascot, waved a 2024 flag as the crowd went crazy.
Trea Turner led the party inside the locker room, riding into the clubhouse on a platform truck loaded with beer, spraying it everywhere as his teammates jumped into the fun, dressed in hoodies, goggles, and celebratory cigars.
For Phillies fans, the playoff atmosphere in Philadelphia is something special. Reliever Jeff Hoffman described it as “50,000 vs. nine,” saying it always feels like the fans are a part of the team.
Citizens Bank Park has been packed all season long, with over 3.2 million fans attending games. And even though there were some empty seats on Monday night, the energy was undeniable.
With the division title in hand, the Phillies are now focused on the postseason. At worst, they’ll enter as the No. 3 seed.
But if they can hold onto the second spot or even overtake the Dodgers for first, they’ll get a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs.
Here’s how it could play out: if the Phillies finish with the best record in the National League or even tie with the Dodgers or Brewers (since the Phillies own the tiebreakers), they’ll be the top seed and play the winner of the wild-card game between the 4th and 5th seeds.
If they finish second, they’ll also get a bye and play the winner of the division champion and the third wild-card team.
But if they drop to the third spot, they’ll have to play in the wild-card round themselves.
No matter what, the Phillies are in a good spot, and the players are confident. “We stayed hungry after the losses in the World Series and the CS last year,” Nola said.
“We hope we can keep that going.”
The Phillies are ready to make another run for a World Series title, and with stars like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Aaron Nola, and J.T. Realmuto leading the way, there’s no doubt they have what it takes to go all the way.
Now, it’s all about staying focused and maximizing this hard-earned opportunity.
