By virtue of their dominant 11-1 win over the Marlins Wednesday, the Phillies have officially clinched a spot in the NLDS the first weekend of October. This about a week after they clinched an NL East title in Los Angeles.
They’ll get some much deserved time off as they await their opponent in the five-game series. They will host the winner of the National League’s 3-vs-6 Wild Card round. The 3-seed is very likely to be the Dodgers. The 6-seed will be the Mets, Reds or Diamondbacks — all tightly contesting the final spot in the bracket.
In 2024 they were also the 2-seed, and fell to the Mets in four games to open their playoff run. The Phils are obviously hoping to go much deeper into October this fall.
While we don’t know their opponent yet, nor the timing of first pitch, we do know the overall schedule.
| Date | Location | |
| Game 1 | Sat, October 4 | Citizens Bank Park |
| Game 2 | Mon, October 6 | Citizens Bank Park |
| Game 3 | Weds, October 8 | Away |
| Game 4* | Thurs, October 9 | Away |
| Game 5* | Fri, October 10 | Citizens Bank Park |
*If necessary, best three out of five
Home-field advantage is a big deal for the Phillies. If you reference the table above, it’s possible that a Game 5 in Philadelphia could involve both teams flying from Los Angeles late the night before, after Game 4. You’d much rather be the home team in that scenario.
As a whole, the Phillies have been among the best teams at home in baseball, with their 52-25 record as the top mark by total wins and win percentage in the majors. They hit better at home, and pitch better there too.
The fans for Red October are among the loudest and rowdiest in the world.
And now, thanks to their latest clinch, we know exactly when and where Red October will begin.
