3 reasons why the Phillies are still in contention and 1 reason why they are not
The Braves have led the division for the entirety of the season and have looked like the best team in baseball but there is always a chance the Phillies can catch them. Let's take a look at three reasons why the Phillies can win the NL East and one reason why they are too far out of it.
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.
MLB team records since June 2.
— John Foley (@2008Philz) July 18, 2023
The Phillies’ .722 winning % is a 117-win pace. The Braves’ .800 winning % is a 130-win pace. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cATsDhIpxp
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.