Phillies still alive on season finale despite losing record

Three things need to happen on Sunday for the Phillies to make the postseason

The Philadelphia Phillies have lost six out of their last seven games and are three games under the .500 mark heading into Sunday’s regular season finale against the Tampa Bay Rays.

And yet, they still somehow remain alive in the postseason hunt with three other teams — the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers — for a National League Wild Card spot.

How each team can qualify for the postseason

• Phillies (28-31): Win over Rays and losses by Brewers and Giants
• Brewers (29-30): Win over Cardinals, or losses by Phillies and Giants
• Giants (29-30): Win over Padres and a loss by Brewers*
• Cardinals (29-28): Win over Brewers or a loss by Giants*

* If Giants and Brewers win, the Cardinals would play a doubleheader on Monday against the Tigers (previously canceled due to COVID-19); Cardinals would have to win just one of those games to qualify.

The Phillies postseason chances remain alive thanks to a 6-2 Padres win over the Gabe Kapler-led Giants Saturday evening. Earlier in the day, the Brewers shut out the Cardinals, 3-0, setting up Sunday’s crucial games to determine who advances to the postseason following the unprecedented 2020 season.

Probable pitchers

• San Diego Padres (LHP Adrian Morejon, 2-2, 4.86 ERA) at San Francisco Giants (LHP Drew Smyly, 0-0, 3.38 ERA), 3:05 p.m.
• Philadelphia Phillies (RHP Aaron Nola, 5-4, 3.06 ERA) at Tampa Bay Rays (LHP Josh Fleming, 4-0, 3.42 ERA), 3:10 p.m.
• Milwaukee Brewers (LHP Brett Anderson, 4-3, 4.00 ERA) at St. Louis Cardinals (LHP Austin Gomber, 1-1, 1.80 ERA), 3:15 p.m.

Following Saturday’s game, Andrew McCutchen — who went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, one RBI, and a triple shy of the cycle — shared his view of the Phillies’ current standing in the postseason race.

“It’s frustrating because you see the team that you have around you and you know that we should be there, we should easily be there,” the former Most Valuable Player Award winner said. “It’s a really really sucky situation to be in.”

As the famous saying goes, “Ya Gotta Believe.” We will know by the end of the day on Sunday whether the Phillies qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2011.