It’s officially September, and for those of us following the Diamondbacks, the air in the Valley feels a little more tense than usual. We were all hoping for a different outcome this week as the Philadelphia Phillies rolled into Chase Field. The goal was simple: drag the Phillies back into the mix for that third National League Wild Card spot. Instead, the series went the other way, and the standings are looking a bit tighter than we’d like.
According to reporting from Arizona Sports, the Phillies managed to create some breathing room, taking the series in Phoenix—their first regular-season series win here since 2023. Tuesday’s 7-1 loss was particularly tough to watch, especially with the offense struggling to find a rhythm. The team managed just one run for the second game in a row, and the top five hitters in the lineup combined for a frustrating 1-for-19 performance. Even Eduardo Rodriguez’s effort on the mound, where he held things to three runs over five innings, wasn't enough to spark a comeback.
To make matters more stressful, there is the health of our All-Star, Corbin Carroll. Manager Torey Lovullo confirmed that Carroll is dealing with lower back discomfort. It’s the kind of news that makes any fan hold their breath, though the current plan is for him to push through the pain and start on Wednesday. We’ll all be watching closely to see how he holds up.
As we look at the bigger picture, the math is starting to get real. The Phillies are currently on a hot streak—a six-game run that follows a nine-game winning streak earlier in August—and have effectively moved into the top NL Wild Card spot. FanGraphs currently gives Philadelphia a 99% chance of making the postseason, putting them about 6.5 games ahead of Arizona.
For the D-backs, the focus is now squarely on the San Diego Padres. With the Padres also dropping a game on Tuesday, Arizona (73-67) remains just a half-game behind them in the race for that final playoff slot. It’s shaping up to be a classic late-season battle between these two division rivals. With the other five playoff spots looking fairly locked in, the drama for the final ticket to October is going to be the story to watch all month long. You can find the full breakdown of the current standings and the team's outlook at [Arizona Sports](https://arizonasports.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/with-series-loss-to-phillies-dbacks-in-race-for-1-playoff-spot).
