October 03, 2022
In defiance of the Phillies trying to throw it all away over the last two weeks, the team's playoff magic number is down to just one. A single Phils win in their season finale series in Houston against the Astros would propel them to the postseason for the first time in 11 years. Conversely, a single loss from the Brewers in their three-game home set against the Diamondbacks would have the Phils back in the playoffs.
Important: The Fightins also hold a tiebreaker over Milwaukee for that third and final Wild Card spot in the National League, giving them even more of a cushion as real October baseball looms:
This is where their playoff odds stand:
| Site | Playoff odds |
| Fangraphs | 95.5% |
| FiveThirtyEight | 95% |
| Playoff Status | 94% |
I can understand Phillies fans holding their breath until those percentages read 💯. Believe me, I get that. I am in "seeing is believing" mode with this team. I am, however, juiced for the chance to watch a Philadelphia team play postseason baseball for the first time since I was a senior in high school.
Here are the Phils' probable starters for this three-game series in Houston:
| Date | Phillies | Astros |
| Mon., 8:10 p.m. | Aaron Nola | Lance McCullers Jr. |
| Tues., 8:10 p.m. | Ranger Suarez | Justin Verlander |
| Wed., 4:10 p.m. | Bailey Falter | Framber Valdez |
No pressure, fellas!
It's worth noting that the 104-win Astros have already clinched a first-round bye in the updated playoff format.
As of right now, the Phillies would have a best-of-three series this upcoming weekend. A win-or-go-home Phillies playoff game the same day as the 4-0 Eagles play? That's some Philly sports this city hasn't been accustomed to for a long, long time.
Follow Shamus & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @shamus_clancy | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Shamus' RSS feed to your feed reader
