2024 MLB Playoff Picture: Phillies to Claw Back NL East; Updated Standings, Standings | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats & Rumors

The Philadelphia Phillies are NL East champions for the first time in over a decade.

The Phillies won the division on Monday with a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs, This marks their first return to the top of the NL East since 2011.

That final division victory came in the midst of a streak of five NL East titles from 2007 to 2011, culminating in the Phillies' 2008 World Series victory and followed by a decade without a postseason appearance.

Now the Phillies are not only back in the postseason, they also want to fight for the third title in franchise history.

Here's a look at the playoff situation now that the Phillies have secured their spot at the top of the division.

Expected matches in the American League playoffs

• First round bye: No. 1 New York Yankees, No. 2 Cleveland Guardians
• Wild Card Series: No. 3 Houston Astros vs. No. 6 Detroit Tigers, No. 4 Baltimore Orioles vs. No. 5 Kansas City Royals

Expected playoff games of the National League

• First round bye: No. 1 Los Angeles Dodgers, No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies
• Wild Card Series: No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers vs. No. 6 Arizona Diamondbacks, No. 4 San Diego Padres vs. No. 5 New York Mets

The Phillies earned a first-round bye and a trip to the NLDS with their dominant regular season.

There's even more at stake in the remainder of the regular season. The Phillies could secure home-field advantage for the entire postseason if they can unseat the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in MLB.

1. New York Yankees (92-64)*
2. Baltimore Orioles (86-70, 6GB)
3. Boston Red Sox (78-78, 14GB)
4. Tampa Bay Rays (78-78, 14GB)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (73-83, 19GB)

1. Cleveland Guardians (90-67)*
2. Kansas City Royals (82-74, 7.5GB)
3. Detroit Tigers (82-74, 7.5GB)
4. Minnesota Twins (81-75, 8.5GB)
5. Chicago White Sox (36-120, 53.5GB)

1. Houston Astros (85-71)
2. Seattle Mariners (80-76, 5GB)
3. Texas Rangers (74-82, 11 GB)
4. Oakland Athletics (67-89, 18GB)
5. Los Angeles Angels (63-93, 22GB)

1. Baltimore Orioles (86-70, +4 games)
2. Kansas City Royals (82-74)
3. Detroit Tigers (82-74)
4. Minnesota Twins (81-75, 1GB)
5. Seattle Mariners (80-76, 2GB)
6. Tampa Bay Rays (78-78, 4GB)
7. Boston Red Sox (78-78, 4GB)

1. Philadelphia Phillies (93-64)**
2. New York Mets (87-69, 5.5 GB)
3. Atlanta Braves (85-71, 7.5GB)
4. Washington Nationals (69-87, 23.5GB)
5. Miami Marlins (57-99, 35.5GB)

1. Milwaukee Brewers (89-67)**
2. Chicago Cubs (80-77, 9.5GB)
3. St. Louis Cardinals (79-77, 10 GB)
4. Cincinnati Reds, (76-81, 13.5GB)
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (73-83, 16GB)

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (93-63)*
2. San Diego Padres (90-66, 3GB)
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (87-69, 6GB)
4. San Francisco Giants (77-79, 16GB)
5. Colorado Rockies (60-96, 33GB)

1. San Diego Padres (90-66, +3 games)
2. New York Mets (87-69)
3. Arizona Diamondbacks (87-69)
4. Atlanta Braves (85-71, 2GB)

*Indicates a secured playoff spot

**Denotes the final division

The Phillies' last two postseason runs ended in heartbreaking fashion.

Two years ago, Philadelphia made it to the World Series for the first time since 2009, building a 1-0 and 2-1 series lead against the Houston Astros before suffering a six-game losing streak.

The Phillies were then one win away from securing another trip to the World Series after taking a 3-2 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 NL Championship Series, but then lost Games 6 and 7 to the NL West Wild Card team.

To make it back to the World Series in the fall, the Phillies may have to face another NL East opponent in the NL Division Series. The Atlanta Braves, who knocked the Phillies out of both the 2022 and 2023 NLDS, are vying with the New York Mets for the final wild card spot in the NL.

The Braves would bring Cy Young favorite Chris Sale to the mound, while Francisco Lindor's bat would put his name in the mix for the Mets in contention for the NL MVP title.

The Phillies hope to face both potential division opponents with one of the best starting lineups in the MLB.

Zack Wheeler will likely start Game 1 of the postseason after posting a 0.96 WHIP in 31 starts this season, the best in the NL. Cristopher Sánchez should benefit from home-field advantage after ranking third in the NL with a 2.05 ERA at home.

Aaron Nola and Ranger Suárez complete arguably the NL's strongest rotation heading into the postseason, though both must bounce back before the postseason. Nola posted his highest ERA of the season in September, while Suárez has struggled with consistency since returning from the IL in late August.

The Phillies' pitching was often more reliable than the team's offense, which threatened to derail the team's hopes of a division title as scoring stagnated early in the season.

After their World Series hopes were dashed last year when the Phillies scored a total of three runs in the final two games of their loss to the Diamondbacks, Philadelphia will need a consistent offense with batters like Trea Turner, Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper to advance further this postseason.

Right now, the Phillies' focus is on securing the best record in MLB and taking advantage of home-field advantage throughout the postseason. If the team can show consistency in pitching and increase offensive momentum in this final stretch, the Phillies could enter the postseason as favorites and make a third consecutive NLCS appearance.