As it stands today, the Phillies sit 10.5 games behind of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East. According to baseball reference, the Braves have a 99.2% chance of winning the division and the Phillies have 0.6% chance.
In the wise words of Lloyd Christmas from the 1994 comedy Dumb and Dumber, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”
The Braves have been an absolute juggernaut for the first 92 games of the season. They current hold the best record in baseball at 62-33 and they are clicking on all cylinders. They are currently on pace to end the season 106-56 which would put them tied for 15th most wins in a single season all-time.
But the Phillies have been hot on their heals since June 2nd. The Phillies have the second best record in the majors since that date and have been winning at a .722 clip, a 117-win pace. Unfortunately, the best team in that span is the…Atlanta Braves. Winning at a .800 clip, a 130-win pace.
Let’s dive in and look at a few reasons why the Phillies are still in the hunt for the division title and one why they are not.