Will the Phillies make it to the World Series?
The Major League Baseball playoffs have been unpredictable with only one division champ left among the final four teams.
Based on the upsets, the Phillies have earned home field advantage in their best of seven series with the surprising Arizona Diamondbacks.
With just an 84-78 regular season record, the Diamondbacks enter the series 5-0 in the postseason, earning a 2-0 sweep over Milwaukee in the wild-card round and then a 3-0 sweep over the 100-win Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Phillies, backed by the best home field advantage in the playoffs, are a solid favorite over Arizona. And no doubt, it would be a shock if the Phillies fall short of a second straight World Series appearance.
That doesn’t mean it will be easy. Arizona picked an opportune time to play its best baseball of the season.
The Diamondbacks have a young, athletic team, led by outfielder Corbin Carroll, the overwhelming favorite to win National League Rookie of the Year.
Carroll hasn’t wilted in his first playoff appearance. In the five wins over the previous two rounds, he batted .412 with two home runs and four RBI.
Other key Diamondbacks hitters in the first five postseason games have been outfielder Tommy Pham (.318), second baseman Ketel Marte (.318, 2 HR, 4 RBI) and first baseman Christian Walker (.294, 1 HR, 5 RBI).
The starting rotation is led by Bishop Eustace graduate Zac Gallen, who was 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in winning a game in each of the Diamondbacks first two series.
Merrill Kelly (1-0, 0.00 in 6 1/3 innings) is a solid second starter. Where the Diamondbacks have question marks is after Gallen and Kelly.
The bullpen has been a strength, led by closer Paul Sewald, a late-season acquisition from Seattle. Sewald saved four of the Diamondbacks first five playoff wins.
Stopping the Phillies will be a major challenge for Arizona. Here were the top Phillies hitters in their first six games, a 2-0 sweep over Miami and a 3-1 edge over 104-win Atlanta.
The Phillies’ big strengths? Trea Turner (.500, 2 HR, 3 RBI), Nick Castellanos (.391, 4 HR, 5 RBI), Bryce Harper (.368, 3 HR, 5 RBI). Brandon Marsh (.357, 1 HR, 1 RBI) and JT Realmuto (.273, 2 HR, 6 RBI).
In addition, what happens if Kyle Schwarber, Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm start to get hot in the postseason, something that isn’t out of the question.
In Zach Wheeler and a suddenly rejuvenated Aaron Nola, the Phillies have a strong top of the rotation. And Ranger Suarez has proven to be a great big-game pitcher. He has a 1.04 ERA in 8 2/3 innings over his first two appearances this year.
The bullpen has been impressive, led by Jose Alvarado, who has a 0.00 ERA in his four playoff appearances over the first two rounds.
The Phillies can’t get overconfident, but they are a better hitting team, have more depth on their staff and own home field advantage.
That should be enough to propel them to the World Series, but it may not be as easy as some think.
Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Phillies' X
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Author: Marc Narducci
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