The Phillies clinched a playoff berth on the final day of the regular season, defeating Tampa Bay to secure their spot in October. According to reporting, the Phillies entered the postseason through the wild card, with some outlets specifying they claimed the National League's third wild-card spot, while others describe it simply as "the front door."
The clinching came after what multiple outlets characterize as a near-collapse. Yahoo Sports reported the Phillies could have secured a playoff spot as early as Wednesday, suggesting the late-week tumult was avoidable. One outlet noted the Phillies avoided an "historic choke" to extend their playoff streak to five straight years.
In the clinching game, Zack Wheeler delivered a strong performance on the mound, and the Phillies' offense produced six extra-base hits. The team is now in pursuit of its first World Series title since 2008 and just its third in franchise history, per multiple reports.