The champagne was on ice, but the Philadelphia Phillies didn't get to pop the bubbly on Sunday after dropping a disappointing series finale to the Kansas City Royals. Heading into the afternoon affair, the Phillies' magic number to clinch the National League East was down to one.
A win or a New York Mets loss would have secured Philadelphia's second consecutive NL East title. Instead, the Phillies' 10-3 loss in front of an expectant crowd at Citizens Bank Park ensured that the celebrations would have to be put on hold for at least one more day.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 14, 2025
Phillies' loss to Royals paired with Mets' win stalls NL East celebrations as magic number stalls at one
With the Phillies sweeping the Mets in four games earlier in the week, the magic number was five coming into the series with the Royals.