After a 13-year wait, the Phillies have reclaimed the NL East crown, clinching the division with a 6-2 victory over the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. It’s their first division title since 2011, ending a drought that felt longer for a fanbase starved for postseason glory.
But while the champagne flowed in the clubhouse, the Phillies know there’s still work to be done. With the division locked up, attention now turns to securing home-field advantage throughout the National League playoffs. Entering Monday, the Dodgers held a slim one-game lead for the top seed. But the Phillies hold a key advantage: the tiebreaker. If both teams finish with identical records, Philadelphia will host through the NLCS.
“We need to get the bye, that’s pretty important to us. Really important to us,” said manager Rob Thomson. “Whether you’re the division champion or not, I don’t think that gives you any type of advantage. I think having home-field advantage and having a bye is going to help us quite a bit.”
Securing the No. 2 seed would allow the Phillies to bypass the Wild Card round, going straight to the Division Series. With five games remaining—two more against Chicago and three on the road in Washington—the chase for home-field advantage remains very much alive. But for now, the weight of the NL East title has been lifted, and Phillies fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
J.T. Realmuto got the party started early, launching a two-run homer into the center-field bushes in the second inning. Kyle Schwarber followed in the third with a solo shot to the bullpen, extending the lead to 3-0. The blast marked his 100th RBI of the season, making him the first Phillie to post back-to-back 100 RBI seasons since Ryan Howard’s run from 2006 to 2011.
Bryce Harper added to the scoring in the fifth, crossing the plate after doubling and advancing on an errant throw. Brandon Marsh scored in the sixth after a Schwarber double-play ball, pushing the lead further out of reach.
From the first pitch, the outcome seemed inevitable.
Aaron Nola earned the win, throwing six-plus innings and allowing two runs on seven hits. He cruised through five scoreless frames before encountering trouble in the sixth, giving up back-to-back doubles, a walk, and a single. But Matt Strahm came on in relief and minimized the damage, allowing just one of three inherited runners to score.
Nola, after struggling early in September with a 7.20 ERA in his first three starts, appears to be finding his form at the perfect time. Over his last two outings, he’s surrendered just three earned runs in 13 innings. His steadying presence is exactly what the Phillies need as they look toward October.
“I’ve always wanted to win the division since I came here,” Nola said. “Obviously seeing the Braves win the past [six] years, and they’ve done it on our field a couple times, I always said to myself, ‘It’d be nice to seal the division.’ That’s why I signed back here. I love it over here.”
Nola’s knack for delivering in high-pressure situations is nothing new. He has now made seven starts for the Phillies with a clinching scenario on the line—whether it’s a playoff berth, postseason series, or division title—and in those games, he has posted a stellar 1.62 ERA across 44 1/3 innings.
“He's just got poise and a slow heartbeat,” Thomson said before the game. “He stays focused. He pitched in a big-time college program and has been in high-pressure situations since the minors. Aaron’s the same guy every day. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a Spring Training game, a bullpen session, a playoff game, or the World Series—he’s a flatline, and that’s a benefit to who he is.”
Carlos Estévez worked a scoreless ninth inning to secure the win. The final out came on a fly ball to right fielder Nick Castellanos, setting off a wild celebration in the infield. Moments later, the Phillie Phanatic stormed onto the field, waving a massive banner with “2024” emblazoned across it as the sellout crowd of 42,386 roared in approval.
This NL East title is the 12th in franchise history since the Division Era began in 1969. The 2024 Phillies clinched in their 157th game, making them the third-fastest team in club history to secure the division, behind only the 2011 Phillies (150 games) and the 1976 Phillies (155 games).
“We’ve just got to play Philly baseball and continue to play,” Harper said. "This was the main goal in Spring Training, to win the division and get that first-round bye and do all the things we can to set us up for the postseason."
There’s still more work ahead, but for tonight, the Phillies—and their fans—have reason to celebrate.
