Category: Baseball

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The Philadelphia Phillies won the NL East for the first time since 2011, clinching the division title with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto went deep. Phillies fans went wild. And pitcher Aaron Nola provided a taste of just how great it would feel for the franchise if Philly went all the way this time.

The Phillies had rolled tarp pinned above clubhouse locker stalls before the game, a familiar protective sight for the bottle-popping ahead for a team that’s made the playoffs each of the past three seasons under manager Rob Thomson.

“We know there’s a really big picture ahead of us,” Schwarber said before the game. “Winning the division is a big thing. If we go out there and do our thing tonight, it’s going to be well deserved. It’s not an easy division to win. It’s never been an easy division to win. It definitely will be a cool thing.”

Oh, it was cool in Philly for an announced sellout crowd of 42,386, with temperatures in the 60s — a sneak peek of October weather.

That suits this team just fine.

With at least a National League wild card already clinched last week, Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner & Co. earned the franchise’s 12th division championship — and have their sights set on the top seed in the National League playoffs.

The Phillies (93-64) hold the No. 2 spot just behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63) and would earn a first-round bye should the standings hold.

“The biggest things for me, really, are winning the division and getting the bye,” Thomson said. “If we get home field throughout, that’s a bonus. But I won’t put our players in danger to get there.”

The Phillies have two games left against the Cubs and close the season with a three-game set in Washington.

With playoff appearances now the norm for the Phillies, perhaps the inevitability of it all kept some fans home. After selling out game after game during a sensational season, there were pockets of empty seats at Citizens Bank Park, which topped 3.2 million fans in attendance.

Thomson once said a rival coach told him a playoff game in Philly was “four hours of hell.”

“I feel like it’s the best atmosphere in sports,” All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman said. “It feels like it’s 50,000-vs.-nine. It’s always a good feeling when you step on the field.”

Phillies fans were greeted by “CLINCHED” on the videoboard outside Citizens Bank Park, while the main entrance featured Harper and Nola as the anchor photos on a “Make More HISTORY” banner.

Philadelphia ended Atlanta’s run of six consecutive NL East titles and is trying to finish with the major leagues’ best record and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Seeking their third World Series championship following titles in 1980 and 2008, the Phillies overtook Atlanta for the division lead on May 3 and haven’t trailed since.

Philadelphia won five straight NL East titles from 2007-11, then went 10 years without making the playoffs. A wild-card entry each of the past two postseasons, the Phillies put together consecutive October runs that ended in heartbreak.

They reached the 2022 World Series, losing to Houston in six games, and dropped a seven-game NL Championship Series to Arizona last year after leading the underdog Diamondbacks 2-0 and 3-2.

The path to this division title was a bit messy after the team raced to the best 50-game start in the majors since Seattle in 2001. The Phillies slumped in the summer, and returned home this week from a 2-5 trip against Milwaukee and the New York Mets.

Both are teams the Phillies could face in October.

It seemed fitting the 31-year-old Nola was on the mound for the clincher. Nola was a first-round draft pick by the Phillies in 2014, debuted the next year and has been with them his entire career. He’s been one of baseball’s most dependable pitchers — a valuable commodity with the modern stress on big league bullpens.

 [Related: Ben Verlander’s latest MLB Power Rankings]

Nola helped Philadelphia secure an NL wild card last year, then went 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA in four playoff starts. He made five postseason starts in 2022, going 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA.

Nola only briefly tested the free-agent market last offseason before signing a $172 million, seven-year deal to stick with the Phillies.

His reward — another postseason opportunity to bring home a World Series title now 16 years in the making.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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We’re just one week away from the MLB playoffs.

Some teams can already sniff October baseball, with five teams clinching a playoff berth last week. The final wild-card spots might not be decided until game 162, however. 

As we enter the final week of the regular season, here are my top 10 teams in baseball, with World Series odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. 

10. Baltimore Orioles (86-70, last week 8)
World Series odds: +1100

The Orioles’ slide down the standings and power rankings continued this week. Baltimore will almost certainly have to settle for a wild-card spot after dropping 10 of its past 14 games. Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser are about the only performing the past couple of weeks. Baltimiore’s pitching staff has been a bit better, with Corbin Burnes and Zach Eflin turning in quality starts. Closer Craig Kimbrel being designated for assignment speaks to the lingering bullpen issues.

9. Detroit Tigers (82-74, LW unranked)
World Series odds: +5000

Finally, we found a team that wants the final wild-card spot in the American League. The Tigers swept the Royals last week and took four of six from the Orioles on the bookend of that series sweep. Detroit is 27-11 since Aug. 10, with its outfield mashing the ball over the last month. Tarik Skubal is still on track to win the AL Cy Young, but the rotation is a little thin outside of him. Still, the Tigers are in control of their playoff destiny entering the final week of the regular season, which concludes with a series against the Chicago White Sox.

8. New York Mets (87-69, last week 10)
World Series odds: +3200

The Mets were without Francisco Lindor this past week, but that wasn’t a problem. They took three of four from the Phillies over the weekend, with Luisangel Acuña making his MLB debut and promptly slugging three home runs in place of Lindor at shortstop. New York can secure a playoff bid by taking at least two of three from the Braves this week. Otherwise, its season will be on the line in Milwaukee.

7. Cleveland Guardians (90-67, LW 7)
World Series odds: +1300

The Guardians clinched the AL Central this past week and will almost certainly have a first-round bye. José Ramírez is quietly having a tremendous season and is just three home runs shy of a 40/40 campaign. Cleveland’s rotation has also been a bit better the past two weeks, with Ben Lively, Joey Cantillo and Gavin Williams turning in solid outings alongside Tanner Bibee. This club has the pitching to make a deep run. 

6. Milwaukee Brewers (89-67, LW 6)
World Series odds: +2400

The Brewers are the other team that has clinched their division title entering the final week of the regular season. They played well against the Phillies, taking two of three, before losing three of four to the Arizona Diamondbacks, likely ending their hopes of earning a first-round bye. Still, they look like a postseason threat, with star rookie Jackson Chourio filling the void left by Christian Yelich’s injury. 

5. Houston Astros (85-71, LW 4)
World Series odds: +750

It seemed improbable just a couple of months ago, but the Astros are likely a game or two away from clinching the AL West. They’ve won 8 of 11 and can seal the deal early in the week during a three-game set versus the second-place Seattle Mariners. Houston’s lineup is clicking on all cylinders, with Kyle Tucker and Yordan Álvarez mashing. On the mound, Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco, Framber Valdez, Yusei Kikuchi and Hunter Brown all turned in quality starts this past week. This is one nasty team.

4. San Diego Padres (90-66, LW 5)
World Series odds: +1300

Don’t look now, but the Padres still have a chance to win the NL West. They enter the final week trailing the Dodgers by three games for the division lead, and can make that up by Thursday as they take on L.A. for a three-game series. Regardless of what happens, it’s been a strong year for San Diego. Similar to the Astros (whom it took two of three from last week), nearly all of its everyday players have been hitting the ball well lately and its rotation has been stellar. It’ll be fun to watch this team in the postseason. 

3. New York Yankees (92-64, LW 3)
World Series odds: +450

After some summer blues, the Yankees have been hot in September. They’re 12-4 since Sept. 6 and will likely clinch the AL East in the coming days. Aaron Judge is hitting homers again, launching three in his past seven games. Juan Soto is doing his part to make him and Judge the most lethal hitting duo in baseball, too. Rookie outfielder Jasson Domínguez is also making a push to make the postseason roster, hitting a pair of homers this past week. 

2. Philadelphia Phillies (92-64, LW 1)
World Series odds: +410

The Phillies didn’t have the best week against a pair of contenders, losing five of seven to the Brewers and Mets. But they’re still one of the best teams in baseball, as Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola continue to bring good results on the mound. Ranger Suárez has really cooled off since his dominant start to the season (3-6, 4.46 ERA in last 15 starts), but Philly’s lineup is still one of the best in baseball. 

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63, LW 2)
World Series odds: +330

The Dodgers are in the postseason again, and they might enter the playoffs as the team to beat, too. Shohei Ohtani looks ready for his first taste of October baseball, having a performance for the ages against the Miami Marlins on Thursday to secure the first 50/50 season in MLB history. Beyond Ohtani, who’s been on fire for several games now, this lineup is hitting well. Tommy Edman was a sneaky big addition for them at the deadline. Of course, concerns about the rotation are still there given all the injuries. But they hope Clayton Kershaw will return soon. It’s anyone’s guess what they’ll get from their staff this postseason.

Out: Kansas City Royals (82-74, LW 9)
World Series odds: +3900

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the “Flippin’ Bats” podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him at @BenVerlander.

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NEW YORK — A look inside the Mets clubhouse after one of their biggest wins of the season revealed nothing out of the ordinary. 

Sean Manaea and Luis Severino were finishing up a game of pool. Carlos Mendoza, cap off and hair disheveled, stopped by to survey the billiard table. Francisco Álvarez was roaming around wearing a smile and a red suit, getting ready for the team’s late-night flight to Atlanta. Francisco Lindor was doing his best to make sure his two daughters stayed out of the way and in his sight (his 3-year-old touched a reporter’s recorder before asking what it was). Pete Alonso, minutes after playing what could be his final home game as a Met, sat relaxed at his locker waiting his turn for a scrum with reporters. 

It was just like any other day, any other game, for the playoff-hungry Mets.

So what if they just handled the Phillies in a high-energy four-game series win? What does it matter that they’re in a pennant race — just one more series win standing in the way of clinching a playoff spot? Looking at the Mets’ composed and upbeat postgame clubhouse, it was hard to tell that, just outside the ballpark, countless fans were still celebrating their latest victory by jumping, dancing and chanting underneath the subway tracks. The ups and downs of their unexpected season, however extreme, have taught players to stay centered by refraining from getting too far ahead of themselves.

“It’s a beautiful thing, right? We worked really hard to get into this position, but the job’s not done,” Brandon Nimmo said Sunday, not long after hitting a go-ahead home run against Zack Wheeler. “There’s just as much pressure on the next game as there was on this one. You just have to trust the work that we’ve put in and the team that’s gotten us to this point. Look to the guys next to you and believe in them and trust them and know that everybody’s going to give their best effort. It sure makes it fun.”

A lot has been said of the Mets’ eccentricities this year, from Jose Iglesias‘ hit single “OMG” warping into the team’s rallying cry, to the shameless presence of the bright purple blob that is Grimace filtering into the organization’s psyche. Perhaps the fun and games have overshadowed the serious work the Mets have done to reach this point. It takes genuine discipline to stay focused on every pitch, and go inning-to-inning before going day-to-day. While the team is attempting to climb Mount Everest, it has split up the great challenge into smaller, more achievable hurdles that can be overcome.

Edwin Díaz‘s first career six-out save was the latest obstacle. All season, Mendoza protected the Mets closer, who missed all of last year with a knee injury, from too heavy of a workload. Díaz entered Sunday having thrown more than 20 pitches just eight times out of his 52 appearances this season. But this weekend against the Phillies, Mendoza decided it was time to unleash him. After Díaz completed a 30-pitch, four-out save on Saturday, Mendoza asked him to record six outs against the heart of the Phillies order on Sunday. Two innings, a mound visit from the manager, and 30 pitches later, Díaz sealed the 2-1 Mets win while the crowd of 43,139 exploded and roared.

“I said, ‘This is your game, and I’ll be right behind you, pumping you up,'” Mendoza told Díaz before he went back out for the ninth inning. “We’ve been protecting him the whole year, and now it’s big boy time.”

Having a feel for the game and knowing when to take calculated risks and be aggressive are some of the qualities that have defined the first-year manager. Díaz said Mendoza’s words to him during the two-inning save gave him the fortitude to get the job done, a moment packed with extra meaning when considering Díaz was briefly demoted from closing duties back in May largely due to confidence issues. Nimmo applauded Mendoza for jogging to the mound and giving Díaz a breather after he walked a batter in the ninth. It has stood out to players that Mendoza has taken the time and care to get to know each member of the organization, so that he can be better prepared to manage them. 

By building that stable foundation, Mendoza can be more fearless in his decision-making, particularly as he navigates the many challenges that have defined the Mets season. The club’s latest complication is how to continue to succeed as their franchise shortstop deals with a nagging back injury.

“If I play [again] this year, I don’t think it’s going to be pain-free,” Lindor, who has missed eight games, said Sunday at Citi Field. “And I’m OK with that. I don’t want it to be a constant pain where I can’t bend over. Then I put my teammates in a position where I’m not helping them as much as I can. That’s not fair for anybody.”

Lindor’s injury updates have thrown freezing cold water on what had otherwise been an exciting stretch of games for the Mets. The shortstop couldn’t walk and was rolling out of bed last Sunday after his back tightened up on him. Though his mobility is slowly improving, it remains unclear if Lindor will progress to the point where he can play this week against the Braves or the Brewers. Still, the Mets responded to losing their leadoff hitter by winning six of their next seven games. Two more victories in Atlanta will give them a playoff berth.

How long can the Mets sustain this run of magic without Lindor, their MVP-caliber shortstop who helped get them this close to October baseball?

If the Mets showed us anything in Lindor’s absence this past week, or since the first week of April when they opened the season 0-5, it’s that they can rise to the occasion by squeezing the most out of every player on their 28-man roster. Look no further than Luisangel Acuña’s first week in the big leagues. Acuña took over shortstop duties for Lindor and is batting .379 (11-for-29) with a 1.228 OPS and three home runs through his first nine games. The Mets rotation, lacking a true ace amid Kodai Senga’s virtual year-long absence, has stepped up and recorded the third-best starting pitching ERA (3.38) since the All-Star break. Outfielder Tyrone Taylor, a role player, is batting .414 with a 1.155 OPS over the past two weeks.

“Here we are,” Mendoza said Sunday. “Needing everything out of everybody.”

The Mets have defied the odds all year, in part because they aren’t waiting for anybody to lead them. While the payroll is inflated — Steve Cohen’s club continues to lead Major League Baseball in spending — the roster is not loaded. President of baseball operations David Stearns came to Queens and brought his staple of adding at the margins with him, creating a team that relies on a total committee. What Cohen, Stearns and Mendoza couldn’t have known was how well the 2024 Mets would play together, and the team chemistry that they would create. 

That chemistry — underscored by their discipline and fearlessness — has led them to this point: meaningful September baseball. With October in reach, how far will that take them?

“This is what our identity is,” Alonso said, his focus squarely on the present and not his Mets past or uncertain future. “We fight and scratch for every pitch, every out. A game like today really shows our character and who we are.

“We’ve got some more meat left on the bone of this season. We still have work to do. We need to finish.”

Deesha Thosar is an MLB reporter for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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