It took until Game 162, but the Philadelphia Phillies officially completed their improbable comeback this season, emerging from the NL East cellar in April to clinch a postseason spot in September. Much like their magic act under then-interim manager Rob Thomson in 2022, the organization rode his replacement, Don Mattingly, all the way to October.
That campaign, of course, ended with Philly crashing the Fall Classic, a feat that would be even more impressive this time around if the 2026 iteration of the team can pull it off. Nevertheless, just getting to the playoffs is worth celebrating, especially for what it means from a historical context.
For just the second time in franchise history, the Phillies have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, matching their incredible stretch from 2007-11. And, hard as it may be to believe, this current run is actually starting to mirror that one.
Phillies 2007-11 vs. Phillies 2022-26 breakdown
2007-11: 5 NL East titles, 5 NLDS appearances, 3 NLCS appearances, 2 Word Series appearances
2022-26: 2 NL East titles, 4 NLDS appearances, 2 NLCS appearances, 1 World Series appearance
Phillies are a title run away from matching the most successful era in franchise history
There are, of course, some major differences between these runs. The old team only had one manager, constantly winning under the guidance of Charlie Manuel; in contrast, the current five-year stretch has featured Joe Girardi, Rob Thomson, and Don Mattingly.
Likewise, the 2007-11 period featured multiple major award winners, including MVP Jimmy Rollins (2007) and Cy Young winner Roy Halladay (2010). Our modern day Phillies haven't taken home an award of that magnitude since Bryce Harper's MVP in 2021 (just before the window we're looking at), though they've had plenty of finalists, including Kyle Schwarber's runner-up effort in the MVP race a year ago.
Oh yeah, and those Phillies teams of yesteryear actually won a World Series title, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in five games in 2008. Without that feather in our caps, it's hard to seriously compare these two eras.
Here's the thing, though: If the 2026 Phillies go on to win a title, this current five-year stretch would match the old one in terms of appearances in each round. Save for their deficit in division titles, the contemporary Phillies would otherwise have the exact same track record of contention as what is widely considered the most successful era in franchise history.
Again, to get to that point, this year's team will need to navigate a National League gauntlet and beat the American League champions. As the No. 6 seed, that's going to involve a brutal path of opponents, starting with the Atlanta Braves on the road in the Wild Card Round.
But with a little bit of franchise history on their side, perhaps that isn't as outlandish of a goal as it may seem at first glance.
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