The Philadelphia Phillies have shrunk their magic number all the way down to nearly its nub, meaning with a Phils win and an Arizona Diamondbacks loss, the club will clinch its fifth consecutive playoff berth. Somehow, though, things still haven't been polished off; the Phils sit two games up on Arizona, without the tiebreaker, with three games remaining. It’s been a wild ride getting to this point, and the past few weeks have not been for the faint of heart. Let’s take a look at a few of the winners and losers from the Phillies’ frenzied playoff push.
Who's gained the most from the Phillies' wild playoff push? And who's lost?
Winner: Don Mattingly
It feels like a lifetime ago now, but back in April the Phillies looked dead in the water. Previous skipper Rob Thomson’s lifeless team had limped to an atrocious 9-19 record over the season’s first few weeks, culminating in the beloved bench boss walking the plank.
The Phils immediately turned things around under interim manager Don Mattingly, and are now in line to participate in playoff baseball once more despite that outcome looking all but impossible a few months back. Fans still rag on Mattingly for plenty of reasons, and it’s more than likely he won’t be in charge next season, but he’s at least given himself a shot at removing the interim title moving forward with such a remarkable turnaround.
Loser: Arizona Diamondbacks
This one’s pretty obvious. Sports are a zero-sum game given that in order for one team to win, another needs to lose. The same is true of playoff spots, as the National League only provides six tickets to the dance for 15 total teams. The Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers have all sewn up division crowns, while the Chicago Cubs, Padres and Phillies are holding fast in the Wild Card standings.
The last National League team that still has a puncher’s chance at unseating one of that Wild Card trio is Arizona, but their hopes are fading fast. The Phils, Friars and Cubbies have kept the Snakes at arm’s length, and each team’s magic number has nearly reached its end point. Barring a miracle, it looks like the D-Backs will just miss out on the postseason festivities.
Winner: Alec Bohm
A large segment of Phillies fans have seen more than enough of longtime third baseman Alec Bohm, and for good reason. The 2018 third overall draft pick has failed to live up to the lofty expectations he had coming out of college and has largely been a forgettable presence during his seven seasons in Philly. Even worse, 2026 has been by far his worst campaign, leaving the Phils with a complete dearth of quality right-handed hitters.
From the beginning of the season through the end of July, Bohm had posted a terrible .647 OPS with just 29 extra-base hits in 105 games. Fans clamored for the 30-year-old to ride the bench after Luis Arraez was acquired at the trade deadline, but the Phils stuck by the erstwhile infielder and it’s certainly paid off. From August 1st onwards, Bohm has put up a tremendous .866 OPS with 16 extra-base knocks and 29 RBI in just 45 contests.
That torrid stretch has not just raised Bohm’s season-long OPS to a somewhat-respectable .711 mark, but it’s also coincided with the Phillies’ frantic push for a Wild Card spot. If he can continue his hot hitting into October, he won’t just earn himself some extra cash in his upcoming trip to free agency, but he’ll be a Godsend to a Phillies lineup that certainly needs one.
Loser: Orion Kerkering
Talented right-hander Orion Kerkering became public enemy number one last October when his errant throw ended the Phillies’ season in the National League Division Series. The 25-year-old remained with the club this year, but he just hasn’t been able to get on track. The past few weeks have been especially tragic, as he’s posted a brutal 10.29 ERA across his last 15 appearances.
Speculation has swirled ever since last year’s meltdown that Kerkering simply doesn’t have the mentality to handle high-leverage opportunities, and it seems the Phillies finally agreed with that sentiment. Saturday’s four-run implosion against the New York Mets led to Kerkering being exiled to Triple-A, effectively ruling him out of any playoff action.
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