Phillies won’t take foot off the gas after clinching NL East in LA but Topper is already plotting for October

UPDATED: Phillies close gap on Brewers in the race for NL’s top seed with 8 games remaining

The Phillies are officially back-to-back NL East champions. They clinched the division title on Monday in Los Angeles, ultimately took two of three from the Dodgers, and will now head to Arizona for the next leg of their West Coast trip.

There are nine games left in the regular season and the Phillies are still attempting to chase down the Milwaukee Brewers for the top seed in the NL, which would had them home field advantage throughout the postseason.

Phillies have 9 Games Remaining…

Red October Rotation Plans

Rob Thomson didn’t waste any time laying out the plan. Cristopher Sánchez is lined up to start Game 1 of the postseason, and everything else is being built around keeping him on schedule.

“Sanchy could go Tuesday and Sunday. Then he’s lined up,” Thomson explained. That’s been the priority. Make sure the lefty who has quietly turned into one of their most reliable arms is set for the opener.

Behind him, the likely rotation shakes out as Ranger Suárez in Game 2 and Jesús Luzardo in Game 3. That’s three straight lefties, but Thomson likes the balance in styles. Suárez’s soft-tossing deception sandwiched between the harder-throwing Sánchez and Luzardo.

If a fourth starter is needed, it’s looking like Aaron Nola with Taijuan Walker shifting into a bullpen role. The fourth starter will be Taijuan Walker with Walker Buehler as the ‘piggyback’. The message is clear. Buehler’s the swing man now, and they’re trying to get him used to relief work.

Health-wise, it’s nothing but good news.

Trea Turner is still back in Philly, rehabbing his hamstring, and Thomson says he’s trending toward being ready for October. He’s already jogging at 50 percent and could see some live BP against minor leaguers soon.

Alec Bohm, meanwhile, took batting practice Wednesday with no setbacks from his shoulder issue and could be back in the lineup as early as Friday when the Phils open up in Arizona.

The clinch in L.A. locked up the division earlier than any team in franchise history, but there’s no sign of this group coasting.

The Phillies have their eyes on Milwaukee for the top seed and, at the very least, securing the No. 2 spot and the first-round bye.

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