Philadelphia Phillies Clinch First Postseason Berth in 11 Years
Celebrate Philadelphia Phillies fans – it’s been a long time coming.
On Monday, the Phillies clinched their first postseason berth in 11 years, blanking the Houston Astros 3-0 to secure the final NL Wild Card spot.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the club to get to this point. Philadelphia fired manager Joe Girardi after a 22-29 start, endured a two-month absence from superstar Bryce Harper, and lost ten of thirteen games from September 15-29.
“It hasn’t been an easy season for us,” said slugger Kyle Schwarber, who leads the team with 46 home runs, two of those coming in Monday’s victory. “We went through people saying that our season’s over, that don’t even count the Phillies, and they can’t catch the baseball…and for us to get all of our guys back and healthy, and for them to all be there and contribute, that’s what it’s all about.”
Despite the doubters, the Phils showed extraordinary perseverance and now find themselves with an opportunity to play meaningful baseball in October.
“This is the goal,” said Harper. “This is what you play for.”
Philadelphia begins its postseason journey on the road on Friday, likely against the St. Louis Cardinals or New York Mets.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Phillies at +176 on the moneyline for Tuesday’s contest against the Astros.
