Phillies Maintain Wild Card Lead, Set Sights on Trimming Magic Number

The Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Miami Marlins, 5-4, wrapping up a series with a fellow National League Wild Card contender.

The Phillies (78-64) are in the driver’s seat for the first Wild Card seed, but that seat got a bit smaller as the Chicago Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks and cut the Philles’ Wild Card lead by a game.

The Marlins represented their final game against a fellow Wild Card contender. From there, it’s a steady diet of NL East teams — including seven games against the Atlanta Braves. With less than 20 games left, the Phillies want to hang on to that top Wild Card spot and the homefield advantage that comes with it.

Below is an update on the race, with the current standings, magic numbers to clinch a Wild Card berth and the remaining schedules for the teams that are still in the race.

The NL Wild Card Race as of Sept. 11

Sunday’s Results

Chicago Cubs 5, Arizona 2

Miami 5, Philadelphia 4

Cincinnati 7, St. Louis 1

San Francisco 6, Colorado 3

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Philadelphia (78-64): +4.0 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 16)

Chicago Cubs (77-67): +2.0 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 17)

Arizona (75-69): — (Magic Number to clinch: 19)

Miami (74-69): 0.5 GB

Cincinnati (74-71): 1.5 GB

San Francisco (73-70): 1.5 GB

What’s Left?

Philadelphia (20): Monday-Wednesday: vs. Atlanta (4); Friday-Sunday: at St. Louis (3); Sept. 18-20: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 21-24: vs. New York Mets (4); Sept. 26-28: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at New York Mets (3)

Chicago Cubs (18): Monday-Wednesday: at Colorado (3); Friday-Sunday: at Arizona (3); Sept. 19-21: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Colorado (3); Sept. 26-28: at Atlanta (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Milwaukee (3)

Arizona (18): Monday-Thursday: at New York Mets (4); Friday-Sunday: vs. Chicago Cubs (3); Sept. 19-20: vs. San Francisco (2); Sept. 22-24: at New York Yankees (3); Sept. 25-27: at Chicago White Sox (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Houston (3)

Cincinnati (17): Tuesday-Thursday: at Detroit (3); Friday-Sunday: at New York Mets (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. Minnesota (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Sept. 26-27: at Cleveland (2); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at St. Louis (3)

Miami (19): Monday-Thursday: at Milwaukee (4); Friday-Sunday: vs. Atlanta (3); Sept. 18-20: vs. New York Mets (3); Sept. 22-24: vs. Milwaukee (3); Sept. 26-28: at New York Mets (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: at Pittsburgh (3)

San Francisco (19): Monday-Wednesday: vs. Cleveland (3); Thursday-Sunday: at Colorado (4); Sept. 19-20: at Arizona (2); Sept. 21-24: at Los Angeles Dodgers (4); Sept. 25-27: vs. San Diego (3); Sept. 29-Oct. 1: vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3)