In their last two series of the regular season, the Phillies will host the top team from both the National and American League. This final homestand gets underway Tuesday, as a three-game series begins against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The magic number for the Phillies (86-70) to clinch a postseason berth is 3, with six games left to play. While three combined Phillies wins and/or Diamondbacks losses in the next week feels like a near certainty, it is nevertheless crucial that Philadelphia officially clinches a spot as soon as possible.
If they claim a fifth consecutive playoff berth this week against the Brewers, the upcoming weekend series against Tampa Bay could be used to give Phillies pitchers some final tune-up outings, while also allowing Zack Wheeler to be held back for a wild card series. Wheeler is currently lined up to pitch Tuesday night, as well as in Game 162 on Sunday if necessary.
In terms of seeding, the Phillies sit in the third NL wild card spot, which would send them to Atlanta for a wild card series against the Braves if the season ended today. But they are just one game back of the Cubs and Padres, who are also battling for seeding in the wild card standings.
The top spot is of particular importance, as it would give that team home field advantage in a wild card series, something that all three teams with their passionate fanbases would benefit from. The Phillies possess tiebreaker privileges over the Padres, while the Cubs hold tiebreakers over both Philadelphia and San Diego.
The Brewers (98-58), meanwhile, have much less to play for. Having clinched the NL Central a week ago and already set a new franchise record for wins in a season, the only remaining stake for Milwaukee is to clinch the top seed in the NL over the Dodgers. Currently, the Brewers sit two games up on Los Angeles and hold the tiebreaker.
Jacob Misiorowski, this year’s likely NL Cy Young Award winner, started for Milwaukee on Sunday, meaning the Phillies will miss him. At home this week, against an opponent that has already clinched, the Phillies will have a golden opportunity to take a series from a possible playoff opponent.
The two teams last met in June at American Family Field, with Milwaukee taking two games out of three that weekend. This week, the Phillies and Brewers will play a trio of night games at Citizens Bank Park, where the weather has started to feel like fall.
All three games will be broadcast locally. Tom McCarthy is back in the booth for the entirety of this series. This will be John Kruk’s final series in the television broadcast booth this year. Here’s when and where you can watch the series on TV:
- Tuesday, September 22, at 6:40 p.m. ET: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Wednesday, September 23, at 6:40 p.m. ET: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Thursday, September 24, at 6:05 p.m. ET: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Barbara Jean
September 22, 2026 at 6:38 pm
I cannot watch this. For once, I am thrilled I am no where near Citizens Bank Park . The fact they came this far this “sweet and sour year” is a miracle.