Phillies punch postseason ticket, NL East celebration put on ice

Citizens Bank Park was ready. The Phillies were set to clinch the NL East at home in front of their fans. Instead, the party got delayed, and the team had to settle for the “consolation prize” of officially locking up a playoff spot.

That’s not nothing, but it sure isn’t the celebration they wanted.

Phillies clinch 4th straight postseason appearance

The @Phillies have #CLINCHED a fourth straight #Postseason appearance! pic.twitter.com/Q2y4xRLRol

— MLB (@MLB) September 14, 2025

Kyle Schwarber tried to kick things off right with his 52nd homer of the season in the first inning, followed two batters later by J.T. Realmuto sending one into the seats.

Aaron Nola looked like The Clincher again, retiring the first nine Royals he faced. For a few innings, it felt like the champagne was inevitable.

Then everything flipped. Nola got rocked for six runs in the middle frames, the bats went quiet, and Kansas City rolled to a 10-3 win that snapped Philly’s six-game heater.

Still, all wasn’t lost. With the magic number stuck at one, the Phils could still backdoor the division if the Mets lost to Texas. Fans stuck around to watch on Phanavision, while players huddled in the clubhouse.

And of course, because it’s the Mets, they dragged it out. They were tied at two going into extras, then Pete Alonso ruined the vibe entirely, walking it off with a three-run bomb to keep the Phillies’ champagne corks firmly in place.

The tarps stayed rolled up. The hats stayed in their boxes. The TVs flipped to the Eagles game, and the team packed up for a cross-country flight to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers are waiting.

The good news, is the magic number is still one. One more win, or one more Mets loss, and it’s time to soak the clubhouse.

The Phillies will just have to do it the hard way, 3,000 miles from home.

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