Phillies Longshot Pursuit of Top NL Playoff Seed Nearly Out of Runway

The Philadelphia Phillies have a fading chance at the National League’s No. 1 playoff seed.

Philadelphia Phillies short stop Edmundo Sosa (33) and outfielder Kyle Schwarber (12) celebrate a victory against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies slammed the Miami Marlins, 11-1, on Wednesday evening. It only matters so much at this point.

Kyle Schwarber hit two home runs to get a little closer to Ryan Howard’s single-season franchise record. Jesus Luzardo won his 15th game of the season. The Phillies put up three crooked numbers. Edmundo Sosa homered in his return from the injured list. Everything clicked one night after Philadelphia blew a lead against the Marlins.

With just four games remaining, the seeding for the National League is in the final stretch. The Phillies can go two ways with their seeding, though one seeding is far more realistic than the other.

Phillies Seeding Chase

MAKE IT 56!!!!! pic.twitter.com/cuIQyh7h8S

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 25, 2025

There were two magic numbers to watch on Wednesday. The first is Philadelphia’s magic number to clinch the No. 2 playoff seed, which came with a wild card round bye and a home best-of-five divisional series.

That number was zero after Wednesday’s game. The Phillies beat the Marlins, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the Dodgers are four games back with four games to play, Philadelphia owns the tiebreaker. So, even if they end up tied, the Phillies will get the No. 2 seed.

The Dodgers got some help from the Milwaukee Brewers, who beat the San Diego Padres on Wednesday to help trim Los Angeles’ magic number to clinch the NL West title.

But what helped the Dodgers hurt the Phillies. After blowing a chance to beat Miami on Tuesday, on a night in which Milwaukee lost to San Diego, the Brewers won. That brings up the other magic number, which is Milwaukee’s magic number to clinch the No. 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the NL playoffs. That magic number is one, which is a combination of Brewers wins and Phillies losses. The Brewers own the tiebreaker.

Milwaukee is off on Thursday as it travels back home to prepare for a final series against the Cincinnati Reds, which starts on Friday. The Phillies wrap up their series with the Marlins on Thursday. The best Philadelphia can do is to hold the magic number in place with a win. If Philly wins, then it would still have a chance to claim the No. 1 seed. But the Phillies would have no room for error — and would need the Brewers to slump down the stretch.

If Philadelphia loses the finale on Thursday, then Milwaukee clinches the No. 1 seed based on the tiebreaker.  

Philadelphia Phillies Chase for No. 1 NL Seed

COUNT 'EM UP!@brandon_marsh22 🤝 @MunditoSosa pic.twitter.com/qNL2hzqOm9

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 25, 2025

Milwaukee Brewers: 96-63 (lead NL)

Philadelphia Phillies: 93-65 (2.5 games behind)

Los Angeles Dodgers: 89-69 (7.0 games behind)

Philadelphia Phillies Games Remaining: 4

Philadelphia Phillies Remaining Schedule: Sept. 25 vs. Miami; Sept. 26-28, vs. Minnesota.

Milwaukee Brewers Remaining Schedule (3 games): Sept. 26-28, vs. Cincinnati.