By winning the National League East title with the league’s second highest win total (96), the Phillies earned a first-round bye for the Wild Card Series. Red October in Philadelphia will start with the best-of-five Division Series (NLDS) for the second straight year.
Overall, the Phillies have played nine Division Series, winning five. Citizens Bank Park has been home to all except in 1981.
For the first time, the Phillies and Los Angele Dodgers will face off in the NLDS. Previously, the two met in five League Championship Series. LA won in 1977 and 1978. The Phillies eliminated the Dodgers three times, 1983, 2008 and 2009.
Phillies Schedule
• Saturday, October 4: Game 1, Citizens Bank Park, 6:38 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, HBO Max)
• Monday, October 6: Game 2, Citizens Bank Park, 6:08 p.m. ET TBD (TBS, truTV, HBO Max)
• Wednesday, October 8: Game 3, Dodger Stadium, TBD (TBS, truTV, HBO Max)
• Thursday, October 9: Game 4*, Dodger Stadium, TBD (TBS, truTV, HBO Max) *(if necessary)
• Saturday, October 11: Game 5*, Citizens Bank Park, TBD (TBS, truTV, HBO Max) *(if necessary)
Phillies Radio
Scott Franzke will be the primary play-by-play announcer with Tom McCarthy calling the fourth and fifth innings. Larry Andersen (home games) and Kevin Stocker (road games) will serve as color commentators. Gregg Murphy, the pre- and post-game host, will be joined by McCarthy before games. All postseason games will air on 94.1 WIP, or 1210 WPHT if there’s a conflict with Eagles games.
Roster
Phillies have until Saturday to announce their 26-man roster. Rosters for each postseason series can change.
Stay Ready Camp
A group of minor leaguers are staying ready in case of an injury. They will train at Lehigh Valley until October 11 and move to Clearwater, October 13 to the end of the playoffs/World Series.
• Catcher: Caleb Ricketts
• Infielders: Donovan Walton and Rafael Lantigua
• Outfielder: Johan Rojas
• Pitchers: Max Lazar, Seth Johnson, Alan Rangel, and Nolan Hoffman.
However, Rojas is still feeling soreness in his quadriceps and will not be an option for the NLDS.
Fashion Fun
Here's the Phillies won-loss record in different uniforms:
• Pinstripes: 27-12
• Grays: 41-40
• Creams: 11-10
• Powder blues: 6-1
• City Connects: 9-3
MLB Division Series History
MLB permanently added the best-of-five Division Series in 1995 (three division winners and one Wild Card team). In 2012, a second Wild Card team per league was added. The two played a one-game playoff with the winner advancing into the DS. Two additional Wild Cards were added in 2022’s playoff format. The Phillies were the sixth and final WC entry. They advanced to the Division Series by beating St. Louis in their first ever best-of-three Wild Card Series, 2-0.
The Phils were also one of four teams in a makeshift Division Series in 1981. A 55-game player strike interrupted that season in June. When baseball returned in August, MLB decided to have a first and second-half winner in each league. Leading the East at the time of the strike put the Phillies in the DS, playing the second-half winners, the Montreal Expos who won the series.
Down Memory Lane
• 1981 First-half champ Phillies (34-21) vs. second-half champ Expos (30-23) . . . DS (Expos 3, Phillies 2)
• 2007 NL East champ Phillies (89-73) vs. Wild Card Rockies (90-73) . . . DS (Rockies 3, Phillies 0)
• 2008 NL East champ Phillies (92-70) vs. Wild Card Brewers (90-72) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Brewers 1)
• 2009 NL East champ Phillies (93-69) vs. Wild Card Rockies (92-70) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Rockies 1)
• 2010 NL East champ Phillies (97-65) vs. Central champ Reds (91-71) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Reds 0)
• 2011 NL East champ Phillies (102-60) vs. Wild Card Cardinals (90-72) . . . DS (Cardinals 3, Phillies 2)
• 2022 NL East champ Braves (101-61) vs. Wild Card Phillies (87-75) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Braves 1)
• 2023 NL East champ Braves (104-58) vs. Wild Card Phillies (90-72) . . . DS (Phillies 3, Braves 1)
• 2024 NL East champ Phillies (95-67) vs. Wild Card Mets (89-73) . . . DS (Mets 3, Phillies 1)
Memorable Pitching Moments
• October 1, 2008 (Game 1): Cole Hamels retires first 14 Brewers; finishes with eight shutout innings (two hits) in a 3-1 win at CBP. Phillies first postseason win in 15 years.
• October 7, 2009 (Game 1): Cliff Lee tosses ninth postseason complete game, 5-1 over Rockies at CBP.
• October 6, 2010 (Game 1): In his first postseason start, Roy Halladay no-hits the Reds, 4-0, at CBP.
• October 10, 2010 (Game 3): Phillies sweep Reds behind Hamels’ five-hit, nine-strikeout complete game, 2-0.
• October 7, 2023 (Game 1): Seven Phillies pitchers combine to blank the Braves on five singles, 3-0, in Atlanta. Ranger Suárez, Jeff Hoffman, Seranthony Dominguez, José Alvarado, Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, Craig Kimbrel.
Memorable Home Runs
• October 10, 1981 (Game 4): Pinch-hitter George Vukovich hits solo, walk-off homer in bottom of the 10th inning, 6-5, over Expos. It remains the lone walk-off homer in franchise post season history.
• October 2, 2008 (Game 2): Shane Victorino hits a second-inning grand slam off Brewers’ C.C. Sabathia at CBP. A nine-pitch walk to Brett Myers loaded the bases.
• October 14, 2022 (Game 3): In first home postseason game in 11 years, Rhys Hoskins does a classic bat flip after his three-run homer keys a five-run third-inning explosion off the Braves’ Spencer Strider.
• October 15, (2022) (Game 4): J.T. Realmuto hits franchise’s first postseason inside-the-park home run.
• October 12, 2023 (Game 4): Nick Castellanos is the first player in MLB postseason history with two homers in consecutive games.
NLDS Record Book
• Batting Average: .483 (Bryce Harper)
• Runs: 14 (Chase Utley)
• Hits: 23 (Jimmy Rollins)
• Stolen bases: 6 (Shane Victorino)
• Doubles: 7 (Rollins)
• Triples: 2 (Jayson Werth)
• Home runs: 6 (Harper)
• RBI: 14 (Ryan Howard)
• Wins: 3 (Cole Hamels)
• Innings: 34.2 (Hamels)
• Strikeouts: 38 (Hamels)
• ERA (min. 12.0 IP): 1.44, (Roy Halladay); 1.50, (Ranger Suárez)
• Games: 11 (Ryan Madson)
• Saves: 5 (Brad Lidge)