Two games back of Milwaukee with three to play, the Phillies (94-65) have one final goal left: chase down the Brewers for the league’s best record — and home-field advantage through October. The math says it’s a long shot. The tiebreaker says it’s even longer. But in this city, we’ve seen crazy before.
They’ll start that climb Friday night at Citizens Bank Park against the Twins, with Aaron Nola getting the ball. That’s right, the same Aaron Nola who’s fought his mechanics, his health, and his command all season. He takes the ball with a 6.46 ERA, searching for rhythm in a year that hasn’t given him much of it.
The Twins counter with Joe Ryan (13-9, 3.47), a power right-hander who’s never set foot on this mound. He’s staggered through September, giving up 11 earned runs in 11 innings, but he arrives with a chance to set a career high in wins.
The Phillies’ staff set the stage Thursday with a 1-0 win over the Marlins — five gutsy innings from Walker Buehler and four zeroes from the bullpen. That’s how this club wants to head into October: arms dealing, games suffocating, Citizens Bank Park humming.
And then there’s the subplot everyone in South Philly has circled: Jhoan Duran, the ex-Twin who now slams the door for the Phillies. Fifteen saves and a 2.29 ERA since the deadline, and now a chance to stare across the diamond at the team that shipped him here.
So yeah, it’s a long shot to catch Milwaukee. But in a town where improbable comebacks are part of the DNA, one weekend of baseball still feels like just enough time for one more.
Starting Pitchers
Friday: RHP Aaron Nola (4-10, 6.46) vs. RHP Joe Ryan (13-9, 3.47)
Saturday: LHP Ranger Suarez (12-7, 3.12) vs. RHP Mick Abel (2-4, 7.36)
Sunday: LHP Cristopher Sanchez (13-5, 2.57) vs. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (7-4, 4.27)
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