NEWSLETTER
With two days left in the regular season, seeding in the Postseason is up for grabs. That and more from around baseball …
Phillies Clinch Wild Card Spot
The Phillies were on the verge of an all-time collapse heading into the weekend, but Philadelphia took two-of-three from the Washington Nationals over the weekend and the Milwaukee Brewers lost two-of-three to the Miami Marlins.
The Phillies 3-0 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday night helped them finish the job, clinching their first Postseason berth in over a decade (and eliminating the Brewers in the process).
Aaron Nola delivered six and two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball for the Phillies on the mound, and Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs as Philadelphia blanked the American League’s best team on Monday night.
Phillies beat writer Matt Gelb put together a fun read about the Phillies of now putting to bed the ghosts of the Phillies of the last decade-plus:
Postseason Picture Coming into Focus
With the Phillies clinching a Wild Card spot on Monday night, the Postseason picture is coming into focus. With just two days left in the regular season, we know who will be in the Postseason, but who will play who is still up for grabs. But, if the season ended today (or if things stay the same), here’s what the first round of action would look like:
American League
3. Cleveland Guardians (90-70) vs. 6. Tampa Bay Rays (86-74) – winner faces New York Yankees (98-61)
4. Toronto Blue Jays (91-69) vs. 5. Seattle Mariners (87-72) – winner faces Houston Astros (104-56)
National League
3. St. Louis Cardinals (92-68) vs. 6. Philadelphia Phillies (87-73) – winner faces Atlanta Braves (100-60)
4. New York Mets (98-61) vs. 5. San Diego Padres (88-72) – winner faces Los Angeles Dodgers (110-50)
So Long, Tony
Tony La Russa announced on Monday afternoon that he will be retiring due to health concerns that will make it impossible for him to manage the White Sox in 2023. Maybe that’s solely the reason for his departure from the White Sox dugout. Maybe it’s not. Either way, the White Sox are the first team to enter the market for a new manager this season.
Aaron Judge’s Pursuit of 62
Aaron Judge has three more games to hit No. 62, with two today. Here’s how you can watch his pursuit of the Yankees and American League home run record:
