Magic number in the Phillies game: Philadelphia needs one more win to win the NL East title

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Philadelphia Phillies are just one win away from winning their first NL East title since 2011.

Aaron Nola is expected to take the mound Monday night to start the three-game home series against the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park.

“Hopefully we can get it done, because it's going to be exciting,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Sunday night after his team's 2-1 loss to the Mets.

Seeking their third World Series title, the Phillies overtook Atlanta on May 3 to take the division lead and have not trailed since.

Philadelphia (92-64) is on pace to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs. It is the third time the Phillies have reached the postseason three years in a row (1976-78 and 2007-11).

“Not everyone gets a chance to play in the World Series every year. Even though people in this room may feel like we should be here, it's still an accomplishment,” All-Star third baseman Alec Bohm said Friday night as the team officially clinched a playoff spot.

Philadelphia won the NL East title five times in a row from 2007 to 2011, but then went ten years without making the playoffs. The Phillies have been wild-card entrants in the last two playoffs and made two consecutive runs in October that ended in a bitter end.

They reached the 2022 World Series, losing to Houston in six games, and lost a seven-game NL Championship Series to Arizona last year after leading the underdog Diamondbacks 2-0 and 3-2.

Philadelphia only won the World Series in 1980 and 2008.