Where the Phillies score in Athletic's MLB playoff rankings
The Phillies score as the No. 11 team among 12 MLB postseason clubs in The Athletic's definitive rankings, ahead of only the Astros. Despite ranking 20th in regular-season runs, Philadelphia's path hinges on ace Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, and a lights-out closer if the offense can keep pace in October.
Key Takeaways
- The Athletic ranks the Brewers No. 1 after a team-record 103 wins, with the Dodgers and Yankees close behind.
- Philadelphia sits 11th overall, dinged by the worst lineup among the 12 playoff teams.
- Cristopher Sánchez, Zack Wheeler, and Kyle Schwarber still rate among CBS Sports' top 26 playoff players.
- Follow Wild Card Series score updates and broadcast notes in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Where do the Phillies score among the 12 postseason teams?
Grant Brisbee's Athletic rankings average each club's regular-season record, Pythagorean record, last-30-games mark, and BaseRuns. By that formula, the Phillies average a 13.0 ranking—eighth in wins, 14th Pythagorean, 13th over the last 30, and 17th in BaseRuns.
Only the Astros rank lower. Houston is framed as the first team to finish a full season in the playoffs without a winning record, which makes Philly's No. 11 slot less shocking than the headline suggests.
Why is Philadelphia ranked so low despite its pitching?
The Athletic argues the Phillies no longer field the beefy October lineups of recent postseason runs. They posted the worst offense among the 12 playoff clubs and ranked 20th in runs scored during the regular season.
Still, Brisbee says he would bump them up if he could. Rotation arms Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo plus a lights-out closer give Philly a tested October recipe. CBS Sports backs that edge: Sánchez ranks sixth among its top 26 playoff players, Wheeler 20th after a strong Game 162, and Schwarber 18th as MLB's home-run leader.
Who tops The Athletic's MLB playoff power rankings?
Milwaukee sits No. 1 behind Jacob Misiorowski—the hardest pitcher to get a hit against in baseball history, per The Athletic—and 103 wins. The Dodgers are No. 2 as recent repeat champions, followed by the Yankees, Rays, Braves, Padres, Cubs, Red Sox, Guardians, and White Sox.
CBS Sports separately named Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong its No. 1 playoff player, with Misiorowski fourth and Chris Sale seventh—useful context if you are tracking how each roster's stars can swing a short-series scoreboard.
For fans watching every pitch, those star tiers and team ranks are the quickest way to read why one quiet night for the Phillies scoreboard can still flip if Sánchez or Wheeler locks down a short Wild Card series.