Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Phillies secured their first National League East title since 2011 on Monday night with a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. This win marked the culmination of a season where the team maintained a strong lead in their division, having moved into first place on May 3 and holding a ten-game lead as late as July 5.

Nick Castellanos caught the final out in right-center field, sealing the game and initiating celebrations both on the field and in the clubhouse. The Phillies' postgame festivities included blasting music and spraying champagne and beer.

Kyle Schwarber commented on the team's mindset: “We’ve got experience, we’ve got expectations for ourselves. If we can keep going out there and playing our brand of baseball, and have that edge about us, have that attitude about us -- every time we walk out the door we expect to win the game.”

Bryce Harper acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining such dominance throughout a season: “It’s tough to go wire-to-wire, man.” He emphasized that despite flaws, this is a team no one wants to face in postseason play due to its depth and talent.

Philadelphia's rotation includes Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez. The lineup features MVP-caliber players like Harper, Schwarber, and Trea Turner. The bullpen has also been performing strongly.

Harper spoke about the organization’s goals: “From top to bottom...we have that same goal every time we go into Spring Training. Win games, win the division every year and try to get deep into the postseason every year.”

J.T. Realmuto contributed significantly with a two-run home run in the second inning. Schwarber added another solo homer in the third inning—his 37th of the season—making him the first Phillies player since Ryan Howard to achieve consecutive 100-RBI seasons.

Aaron Nola allowed two runs over six-plus innings. Reflecting on winning the division after years of effort, he said: “Man, it's been a long time coming...I've always wanted to win the division.”

Carlos Estévez closed out the game by securing three outs in relief. Estevez expressed his excitement: “It feels amazing being in a situation like this...I’ve been working hard to get back to playoffs.”

Tanner Banks also joined before this year's trade deadline from a struggling White Sox team. He shared his gratitude for being part of this successful squad: “I’m so grateful...to be here...and make a push to win World Series.”

Harper summed up their readiness for October baseball: “I think we’re built for meaningful games in October,” acknowledging past disappointments but expressing optimism for this postseason.

The next goal for Philadelphia is clinching a first-round bye with any combination of two wins or Brewers losses ensuring it—a much-needed break for some banged-up players including Harper himself who smiled when asked about clinching at home saying simply "Just lot fun."