Red October has swept through Philadelphia once again. The Philadelphia Phillies shut down the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS in four games, and they’ll now look toward the Arizona Diamondbacks on the schedule in the NLCS.
Red-Hot Phillies
Dave Dombrowski built the Phillies for the postseason. Whether you liked hearing that every time the team slumped this summer or not, you certainly know it’s true now.
The Phillies have Atlanta’s number. Their victory in the NLDS was the first time a team beat the same opponent in a postseason series in consecutive years after finishing 10 or more games behind that opponent in the regular-season standings both times (per ESPN). That doesn’t happen without the clutch gene.
Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola led the charge for a pitching staff that held one of the best offenses in major league history to eight runs in four games and three runs in three victories. Nick Castellanos brought the swagger with four home runs in the final two games. Bryce Harper is the ultimate Philadelphia sports superstar.
The Phillies are officially rolling on all cylinders. The outrageous atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park during Red October has quickly become the talk of the MLB Playoffs.
Upstart Diamondbacks
Arizona stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers in an easy three-game sweep in the NLDS. They jumped on Clayton Kershaw with a 6-0 lead in the 1st inning of Game 1, chasing the future Hall of Famer after just ⅓ of an inning.
Zac Gallen, a native of Somerdale, NJ, and Merrill Kelly make up a strong 1-2 punch. They will rival Wheeler and Nola at the top of their rotation.
Corbin Carroll led the way offensively for the Diamondbacks during the regular season, pacing the team with an .868 OPS while Christian Walker belted 33 home runs.
Phillies-Diamondbacks NLCS Schedule
National League Championship Series Game 1
Monday, October 16
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA
8:07 PM on TBSZack Wheeler is fresh and ready to go. According to Jayson Stark, he has the best Game 1 ERA in playoff history among qualified pitchers. He has pitched 20 innings and allowed one earned run for a 0.45 ERA.
National League Championship Series Game 2
Tuesday, October 17
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA
8:07 PM on TBSThe Phillies own the best home field advantage in Major League Baseball. Current Phillies, former Phillies, opposing players, opposing managers, and media members have constantly talked about the crowd as an x-factor. The Phillies will play the first two games at Citizens Bank Park as the higher seed.
National League Championship Series Game 3
Thursday, October 19
Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ
5:07 PM on TBSThe Diamondbacks finished 43-38 at Chase Field during the 2023 regular season. They defeated the Dodgers in the Game 3 NLDS clincher, their only home game of the postseason. The Phillies lost three of four games in Phoenix in a June series.
National League Championship Series Game 4
Friday, October 20
Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ
8:07 PM on TBSWheeler, Nola, and Ranger Suarez are the only three pitchers on the staff to start during the postseason. Unless Thomson makes the unlikely decision to start Wheeler on three days rest, he will need to choose his fourth option. Taijuan Walker, Christopher Sanchez, and Michael Lorenzen will be available. A short outing from a starter and reliance on the bullpen would be the likeliest option.
National League Championship Series Game 5 (If Necessary)
Saturday, October 21
Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ
8:07 PM on TBSThe Phillies have reached the World Series three times during the 21st century. All three NLCS clinchers have come in Game 5. They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008 and 2009 and the San Diego Padres in 2022.
National League Championship Series Game 6 (If Necessary)
Monday, October 23
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA
5:07 PM on TBSIf the pitching matchups align as expected, Aaron Nola could get take the ball at Citizens Bank Park for Game 6 with his Philadelphia legacy on the line. Could he come up with the type of performance Phillies fans have always wanted from him? He’s been excellent with a 1.42 ERA in two playoffs starts.
National League Championship Series Game 7 (If Necessary)
Tuesday, October 24
Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA
8:07 PM on TBSA do-or-die situation with a trip to the World Series on the line might cause some panic attacks in Philadelphia. The Phillies have surprisingly never played in a Game 7 in their 140-year history.
