Philadelphia Phillies Help NL Wild Card Pursuit With Win over Padres

The Philadelphia Phillies got back on the winning side of things with a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, wrapping up a three-game series.

The Phillies not only helped themselves, but also go some help in their pursuit of one of the three Wild Card berths in the National League. The Phillies still lead the pack, but the Chicago Cubs — winners of four straight — are on their heels.

Getting the top Wild Card seed is important because that teams hosts the entire series.

Now the Phillies host Miami, another team with its sights set on claiming one of the three berths. In fact, the Marlins put themselves in an advantageous position with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the race is still in flux.

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. 7

Wednesday’s Results

Chicago Cubs 8, San Francisco 2

Philadelphia 5, San Diego 1

Seattle 8, Cincinnati 4

Miami 11, Los Angeles Dodgers 4

Arizona 12, Colorado 5

(Top three teams clinch Wild Card berths)

Philadelphia (77-62): +5.0 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 17)

Chicago Cubs (76-64): +3.5 Games (Magic Number to clinch: 18)

Miami (72-67): — (Magic Number to clinch: 22)

Arizona (72-68): 0.5 Games Back

Cincinnati (73-68): 0.5 Games Back

San Francisco (70-70): 2.5 Games back

What’s Left?

Philadelphia (23): Friday-Sunday: vs. Miami (3); Sept. 11-13: vs. Atlanta (4); Sept. 15-17: 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 (23): Thursday-Sunday: vs. Arizona (4); Sept. 11-13: at Colorado (3); Sept. 15-17: 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 (22): Thursday-Sunday: at Chicago Cubs (4); Sept. 11-14: at New York Mets (4); Sept. 15-17: 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 (20): Friday-Sunday: vs. St. Louis (3); Sept. 12-14: at Detroit (3); Sept. 15-17: 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 (23): Friday-Sunday: at Philadelphia (3); Sept. 11-14: at Milwaukee (4); Sept. 15-17: 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 (22): Friday-Sunday: vs. Colorado (3); Sept. 11-13: vs. Cleveland (3); Sept. 14-17: 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)