Philadelphia's magic number is 1. Phillies on brink of playoffs.
When it comes to baseball, every Phillies fan wants to enjoy the magic of October.
To get there, the Phillies need to reduce their magic number to 0.
What is the magic number?
According to mlb.com, a team's magic number represents the combination of wins needed by that team and losses by its closest competitor to clinch a given goal. Every time a team wins, its magic number decreases by one. Similarly, every time that team's closest competitor for the division or the closest competitor for the final playoff spot loses, the magic number also decreases by one.
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Since the Phillies are in the wild card hunt, their magic number is determined by comparing them to Miami.
Did the Phillies win last night?
The Phillies defeated the New York Mets 5-2 on Sunday. In other key games, Arizona defeated the New York Yankees 7-1; Chicago defeated Colorado 4-3; and Miami defeated Milwaukee 6-1.
What is the Phillies magic number?
After Wednesday's games, the Phillies' magic number to clinch a playoff spot is 1. The Phillies' magic number to clinch the top wild card position in the playoffs is 3.
Who do the Phillies play tonight?
Philadelphia, Chicago, and Miami are all off on Monday night. Arizona faces the New York Yankees on Monday afternoon.
Can the Phillies win the NL East?
No, the Atlanta Braves have clinched the NL East title.
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Who will the Phillies face in the playoffs?
If the season ended today, the Phillies would face the Arizona Diamondbacks in an NL Wild Card Series. Phillies fans should feel good about that pairing. Philadelphia won the season series over the Diamondbacks. After losing two of three in their first series in May, the Phillies won three of four during a second series in June.
Where do the Phillies stand on tiebreakers?
The Phillies hold the tiebreakers over Chicago and Arizona, which could impact seeding or the fight for the final playoff position.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Philadelphia Phillies' magic number to make the playoffs hits 1
