Phillies clinch NL East title for second consecutive year

With a 6-5 extra-winnings win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, Sept. 15, the Philadelphia Phillies have secured their second consecutive National League East title.

The Phillies clinched a playoff berth on Sunday, Sept. 14. This is the third consecutive season that the Phillies will have 90 or more wins.

The Phillies went on a hot streak to secure the NL title, winning eight of their last 10 games, including a four-game home sweep of the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on Sept. 8-11.

Now, the Phillies also have a chance to catch the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the National League, which would secure home-field advantage through the NLCS, and potentially the World Series as well.

Right now, Philly sits 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee with 11 games left to play.

What is the Phillies magic number to clinch a first-round bye?

Since 2022, the MLB playoffs have consisted of six teams, with the top two seeds in each league earning first-round byes. The Phillies currently are in position to earn a first-round bye, but will need to outlast the Los Angeles Dodgers. Here is their magic number to clinch a first-round bye:

Phillies remaining schedule

Sept. 16-17: at Los Angeles Dodgers
Sept. 19-21: at Arizona Diamondbacks
Sept. 23-25: vs. Miami Marlins
Sept. 26-28: vs. Minnesota Twins

When do the MLB playoffs begin?

The MLB playoffs begin with the wild-card round on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Should the Phillies earn a first-round bye, they will not have their first playoff game until Saturday, Oct. 4.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY