It’s down to this.
After six weeks of spring training and a six-month season, the Phillies must win at least one game in Atlanta this week to stay alive and probably must sweep the three-game series to have a real chance of overtaking the Braves for the National League East title. Otherwise, the longest active playoff drought in the NL will extend to a 10th consecutive season.
“You get to the end of the year and you look to have an opportunity to get to the playoffs,” said manager Joe Girardi, whose Phillies open a three-game series with the Braves on Tuesday.