It would be understandable for most Philadelphia Phillies fans to be still riding high following a convincing 3-1 series win in the NLDS over the arch-rival Atlanta Braves.
However, the job for the Fightins is far from finished, as four wins still stand in the way of a return to the Fall Classic. Their next victim? That would be those pesky Arizona Diamondbacks who played good baseball down the stretch, snagging the final Wild Card spot with 84 wins.
Arizona has subsequently gone on to win all five of their playoff games so far, sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers in short order. Thus setting up their showdown with the Phillies in the National League Championship Series.
The Phillies enter the NLCS as favorites to advance and hold advantages in numerous spots over the Diamondbacks.
Here are three reasons why we believe the Phillies will keep dancing on their own, right into the World Series.
Home-field advantage
Okay, so the Phillies' home-field advantage has been touched on so many times that it's easy for it to seem overplayed. This most certainly isn't the case. The Phillies absolutely feast at home in the month of October.
In the history of Major League Baseball, no team has faired better at home than the Phillies have at Citizens Bank Park. Since it opened back in 2004, there have been 37 playoff games hosted at The Bank. In those games, the Phils have posted a record of 26-11, which amounts to a ridiculous .702 winning percentage. This is the best home winning percentage of all time in the MLB playoffs (minimum of 20 games played).
It's easy to see why when you tune into a game on television or check out the highlights online. The fans are rabid, and the atmosphere is absolutely ridiculous. Some of the best postseason moments from the past decade have occurred over the past two years of playoffs.
Bryson Stott's grand slam against the Marlins in Game 2 of the Wild Card?
Bryson Stott’s grand slam with nothing but ballpark noise
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) October 5, 2023
Chills pic.twitter.com/GkroNIJr4q
How about Bryce Harper homering to send the Phillies to the 2022 World Series?
Bryce Harper with a 2-run homer to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead in Game 5 of the NLCS! ⚾️💣
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 23, 2022
"HARPER... THE SWING OF HIS LIFE!"- Joe Davis pic.twitter.com/kAkVVcqJG1
These are just two of the many examples and provide insight into what makes playoff baseball in Philly so special. There is no home-field advantage quite like Citizens Bank Park.