The waiting time was 13 years, what difference does two extra nights make?
After failing in their attempts to win the division on Saturday and Sunday, the Phillies put an end to the race for the NL East once and for all on Monday at Citizens Bank Park, defeating the Cubs 6-2 in front of a cheering 42,386 sold-out crowd.
Aaron Nola pitched a brilliant game, JT Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber hit early home runs, and fans had no reason to sit still the rest of the night. It was a smooth, comfortable win for the Phils after a week of nail-biting road games against playoff teams.
The only exciting inning was the seventh, when Matt Strahm came in for Nola with the bases loaded, but ended the danger with a strikeout and two groundouts.
Now, six months later, it may be hard to remember that the Phillies were not predicted to win the NL East in 2024. Quite the opposite.
They had earned national respect after making the playoffs well two years in a row – years in which they had not won the division – but every bookmaker had the Braves and Dodgers winning at 98 to 100, about 10 games ahead of the Phillies and the rest of the National League field. Opening weekend did little to reduce the perceived disparity, as the Phillies were outscored 21-7 in two consecutive home losses to the Braves.
Then came a complete turnaround. The Phillies went 35-10 from April 5 to May 23, and after that the NL East was never really in danger. They captured the division and didn’t relinquish it even at their lowest point this summer. They have led by at least five games every day since May 18. The race was certainly affected by the Braves losing a number of key players to injury, but the Phillies minded their own business and built a massive lead.
Although it seemed inevitable for most of the summer, winning a division is not inevitable. It takes six months of hard work, staying healthy, avoiding distractions, stopping dips in form, keeping an eye on the big picture while keeping the day’s perspective. The Phillies hadn’t won a division since 2011 and had won the NL East once in 23 seasons before this streak of five straight wins.
So, yes, there was still a reason to celebrate on Monday night, even though this team’s goal is much bigger than the division title.
Nola has a real knack for getting the deal done for the Phillies. This was his seventh start since 2022 in a game that could either clinch a playoff spot or the division or send the Phils to the next round, and he’s gone 4-1 with a 1.62 ERA. He’s off to a good start in October with two consecutive quality starts against the Brewers and Cubs after two poor starts against the Marlins and Mets.
Nola will pitch one more time this season, in the 162nd game in Washington, D.C. If there is nothing left to win by Sunday, it will be an abbreviated start.
The first step was to secure a playoff spot. The Phillies did that on Friday in New York. On Monday evening, the division was clear. The next goal is a bye in the first round and the magic number is 2. The Phillies lead the Brewers by 4½ games (3½ plus tiebreaker) with five games to go.
Plus, there’s home-field advantage. The Phils are a half-game behind the Dodgers for the best record in the NL, but they have the tiebreaker if the teams finish with the same record. Los Angeles’ season ends with three home games against the red-hot Padres, and three this weekend at Coors Field.
The Phillies won’t put anyone in danger this week, but the stakes are high nonetheless. They can make life easier for themselves in October with a productive final week of September. They’re the only team in baseball with a better home record than the Dodgers, and this week will be the difference between potentially hosting in Games 1 and 2 of the NLCS or having to make two trips to the West Coast in one week.
All immediate concerns, but tonight the Phillies celebrated the end of another important chapter. The journey has lasted three years and there is only one way it can end happily.
