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There is still too much baseball left to play to say the Phillies will make the playoffs. However, I know the three things that will need to happen for them to make it.
It seems like a blur, but the all-star break is here already. The all-star break is upon us and an unlikely team sits atop the NL. The Phillies sit in first place and have the 3rd best record in the NL to go with it. Things are looking promising as far as the Phillies making the playoffs is concerned. However, I would say it is far from being a lock. There is still too much baseball left to play to say the Phillies will make the playoffs. However, I know the three things that will need to happen for them to make it.
Another Odubel hot streak
It wasn’t long ago that Odubel Herrera was the hottest hitter in baseball. At his peak, he had the highest batting average in baseball. The Phillies will need another hot streak from him to make sure they make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. When he is hot, there are not many hitters in baseball better than Odubel. He will be a very important part of this team should they make it to the playoffs.
Zach Eflin continuing his dominance
Eflin has become a revelation of sorts for the Phillies this season. Once close to a demotion, he has become the Phillies second best pitcher, behind Aaron Nola and ahead of Jake Arrieta. With a 7-2 record and a 3.15 era, the Phillies have gotten more than they could have expected from him this year. Eflin’s emergence as a legitimate threat in the rotation has given the Phillies a significant boost. He will need to continue to pitch at this level for the Phillies to make into the playoffs.
The Machado trade is definitely the most obvious one. The Phillies continue to ramp up their offer for the Orioles star. It is looking more and more likely he will not be in Baltimore come the end of July and that is whether he ends up or Philly or Milwaukee. A trade for Machado would all but cement the Phillies as a playoff team. It seems like ownership is fully on board with making it happen, so we will just have to wait and see how this plays out.
