MLB Playoff Picture 2023: Updated Standings, Wild Card After Phillies Clinch

The Philadelphia Phillies are going back to the playoffs.

While the Atlanta Braves already secured the National League East crown, Philadelphia clinched a wild-card spot with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. That means it will have an opportunity to defend its National League crown and go for a second consecutive appearance in the World Series.

Johan Rojas drove home the winning run with an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th, kicking off the celebration in the City of Brotherly Love.

The Phillies weren’t the only one to clinch something Tuesday, as the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the National League Central thanks to the Chicago Cubs’ loss to the Braves.

Here is a look at the NL Central standings:

1. Milwaukee Brewers, 88-69
2. Chicago Cubs, 82-75
3. Cincinnati Reds, 81-77
4. Pittsburgh Pirates, 74-83
5. St. Louis Cardinals, 69-88

It was just a matter of time before Milwaukee clinched, meaning the drama was in the wild-card picture.

There were plenty of clinching scenarios for the Phillies entering play Tuesday.

A victory over the Pirates would have been enough. If not that, Philadelphia could get in with a loss by the Miami Marlins to the New York Mets, a loss by the Cubs to the Braves or a loss by the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Chicago White Sox.

Here is a look at the latest standings in the race for three NL wild-card spots following Tuesday’s clinch:

1. Philadelphia Phillies, 88-69
2. Arizona Diamondbacks, 83-74
3. Chicago Cubs, 82-75
4. Miami Marlins, 81-75 (0.5 games back)
5. Cincinnati Reds, 81-77 (1.5 games back)

Philadelphia surely wanted to win the division for the first time since the 2011 season entering the campaign, but a wild-card spot didn’t stop it from reaching the Fall Classic last season.

The Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the Wild