An incredible turnaround for the Philadelphia Phillies could reach its climax in the regular-season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, a team that has already locked up its playoff spot. The outcome of this series will be critical for Philadelphia as it fights to secure a National League Wild Card berth.
The Phillies must win today to keep their hopes alive for a Wild Card spot. However, they also need the Arizona Diamondbacks to drop at least one of their three remaining games against the San Diego Padres, another franchise that has already punched its ticket to October.
Because the Diamondbacks hold the tiebreaker, Philadelphia needs that exact scenario to play out. The Phillies enter the day at 87-72, while Arizona sits right behind them at 85-74. Put simply, Philadelphia’s magic number is down to two as they prepare to face the critical games ahead.
Philadelphia’s fan base knows the team must overcome significant roster adversity down the stretch. Key players like Jesus Luzardo and now Luis Arraez—whose status remains day-to-day for the rest of the season, according to manager Don Mattingly—are nursing injuries with the postseason race coming down to the wire.
High heat 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6rENuU3d6i
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 25, 2026
Phillies’ turnaround under Mattingly
The Phillies’ season started in near-disaster, stumbling to a miserable 9–19 record by late April to tie for the worst mark in Major League Baseball. Facing a bleak outlook, front-office leadership dismissed manager Rob Thomson on April 28 and elevated bench coach Don Mattingly to interim manager to spark a turnaround.
Under Mattingly, Philadelphia executed a historic resurgence, tearing through May and June on a 38–18 run. The Phillies became the first team in MLB history to go from 10 games under .500 in April to 10 games over .500 before July, powered by an MLB-record five ninth-inning, last-strike comeback wins, Kyle Schwarber’s power surge, and elite starting pitching.
That turnaround effectively erased a 10.5-game division deficit and completely flipped the club’s postseason trajectory. Backed by a lockdown bullpen, Philadelphia surged to an 87–72 record entering late September, reclaiming control of its Wild Card destiny heading into the final days of the regular season.
Key takeaways
- The Philadelphia Phillies must win today and need a Diamondbacks loss to reach the Wild Card round.
- A magic number of 2 stands between Philadelphia and securing its postseason berth.
- Don Mattingly guided Philadelphia to an 87–72 record following a 9–19 start to the season.
