After clinching their third consecutive playoff appearance, the Philadelphia Phillies celebrated by focusing on the post season.
Following their 12-2 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night, manager Rob Thomson gathered his players for a modest champagne toast in the clubhouse, acknowledging their significant achievement without the fanfare.
“Pretty calm and relaxed from what it usually turns into,” remarked All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm, chuckling at the understated celebration. The Phillies, well aware that qualifying for the postseason is just the beginning, have their sights set much higher than merely participating in the playoffs.
“You look around and you see all the talent, you see all the guys, you see the front office, the moves they make… this team should be in the playoffs,” Bohm said. “Now it’s just a matter of, keep going.”
Bryce Harper and the Phillies secured their playoff ticket with the convincing win, putting them in a strong position to claim the NL East title for the first time since 2011 with just one more victory against the Mets this weekend.
“It’s hard to go wire-to-wire, and I think our team’s done a great job obviously this whole season,” Harper stated. “We’ve got bigger goals, but this is a great moment.”
The Phillies have dominated the division since overtaking Atlanta for the lead on May 3, maintaining a strong hold without looking back. Their record of 92-62 currently ties them with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best in Major League Baseball, putting them on track for a first-round playoff bye. This marks the third consecutive year the Phillies have reached the postseason, following their previous runs from 1976-78 and 2007-11.
“Not everybody gets the chance to play for the World Series every year, so as much as maybe people in this room feel like this is where we should be, it’s still an accomplishment,” Bohm emphasized, recognizing the hard work that got them here.
Key players like Harper, Bohm, Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and Nick Castellanos have propelled the offense, while the pitching staff—anchored by Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez, and Cristopher Sánchez—has remained largely unchanged from the previous season.
As the Phillies prepare for the playoffs, they are determined to finish what they started. After reaching the 2022 World Series and falling short to Houston in six games, followed by a heartbreaking defeat in last year’s NL Championship Series, the team is hungry for success.
