PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies clinched their second consecutive NL East title on Monday night with a 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium.
The Phillies believe it’s just the beginning. They still want to secure a first-round bye, which would advance them to the NL Division Series. Beyond that, of course, they want to win the World Series.
We’ll continue to monitor all of that and more right here leading up to the postseason:
What could the postseason roster look like?
Here’s the first crack at predicting what the 26-man postseason roster could look like, though it’s obviously subject to change in the coming weeks depending on the health of some players and the performance of others.
Catchers (2): J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchan
First baseman (1): Bryce Harper
Second baseman (1): Bryson Stott
Shortstop (1): Trea Turner
Third baseman (1): Alec Bohm
Infielders (1): Edmundo Sosa
Outfielders (4): Brandon Marsh, Harrison Bader, Max Kepler, Nick Castellanos
DH (1): Kyle Schwarber
Utility (1): Weston Wilson
Starters (4): LHP Cristopher Sánchez, LHP Ranger Suárez, RHP Aaron Nola, LHP Jesús Luzardo
Bullpen (9): RHP Jhoan Duran, LHP Matt Strahm, RHP Orion Kerkering, RHP David Robertson, LHP Tanner Banks, RHP Taijuan Walker, RHP Lou Trivino, LHP Tim Mayza, RHP Max Lazar
Will the Phillies get a bye for the NL Wild Card round?
The top two seeds in the National League will get a bye for the NL Wild Card round. The Phillies currently hold a 5 1/2-game lead over the NL West-leading Dodgers for the second and final bye. The Phils are also 1 1/2 games back of the Brewers for the No. 1 seed.
If Phillies get a bye, who could they play in the NLDS?
If the Phillies are the No. 2 seed, they will play the winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup from the NL Wild Card round. As of Monday, that would be the Dodgers vs. the Mets.
The No. 1 seed faces the winner of the No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup, which is currently lined up to be the Cubs vs. the Padres.
What will the Phillies’ pitching rotation look like?
This could be the most compelling storyline leading up to the postseason. If the Phillies earn a bye, they won’t need a fourth starting pitcher until the NLCS. In that case, left-hander Cristopher Sánchez would be a lock to start Game 1 of the NLDS, and fellow southpaw Ranger Suárez seems like a safe bet for Game 2.
As for Game 3, the Phils would ideally like to go with right-hander Aaron Nola to split up their trio of lefties, but they’d like to see Nola have some sustained success over his final couple of starts after a rough season. Lefty Jesús Luzardo is also in the mix for Game 3, though either he or Nola would almost certainly be the No. 4 starter if the team advances to the NLCS.
What’s the status of Phillies’ injured players?
• The biggest looming question for the Phillies as the postseason approaches will be the status of shortstop Trea Turner. He sustained a right hamstring strain on Sept. 7, which an MRI revealed to be a Grade 1 strain. Both Turner and the Phils are very optimistic that he will be back in time for the postseason, though even if he is cleared to play, it remains to be seen how the injury could impact the speed element of Turner’s game.
• Third baseman Alec Bohm is on the 10-day IL with left shoulder inflammation, though he’s expected to play this weekend in Arizona.
• Right-hander Jordan Romano landed on the 15-day IL on Aug. 26 after experiencing numbness in his right middle finger. He then reported neck stiffness and more numbness on his finger on Sept. 13. His status is up in the air, though manager Rob Thomson didn’t rule out a return this season.
• Zack Wheeler is out for the season after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. He’s scheduled to undergo surgery on Sept. 23 in St. Louis.
• José Alvarado was shut down for the season on Sept. 12 due to a left forearm strain, though he was ineligible for the postseason roster due to his PED suspension.
Who would play shortstop if Turner is unavailable?
If Turner is unable to return for the postseason, the plan would be for Edmundo Sosa — assuming he’s healthy — to start at shortstop and keep Bryson Stott at second base. If neither Turner nor Sosa is available, Stott would shift to shortstop with Otto Kemp or Weston Wilson taking over at second base.
What will the outfield picture look like in October?
Harrison Bader has played his way into the everyday role in center field. As for the corner spots, it will likely depend on the opposing starter. It will likely be Brandon Marsh in left field and Max Kepler in right field against right-handed pitchers, while Weston Wilson and Nick Castellanos figure to start against lefties.
