HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 03: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies congratulates Kyle Schwarber #12 after Schwarber hit a homerun in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 03, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
The entire MLB Playoff field is set after the Philadelphia Phillies ended their 11-year playoff drought with a win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.
The Phillies hadn’t made the postseason in 11 years, while the Seattle Mariners waited 21 years in between playoff appearances.
Both belong to a club of 12 postseason teams in 2022, and there is no cover charge.
Philadelphia defeated the American League No. 1-seeded Astros on Monday to punch their ticket. The Milwaukee Brewers helped matters over the weekend, losing to the Miami Marlins on Sunday.
Philadelphia has a powerful offense, but flaws defensively and in the bullpen. Power can only take you so far, but for Philly baseball fans, a playoff appearance is a win in itself. From here on out, anything else is the cherry on top of the sundae.
MLB Playoff Bracket
The 12 MLB Playoff teams are as follows:
American League:
- Houston Astros
- New York Yankees
- Cleveland Guardians
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Seattle Mariners
- Tampa Bay Rays
National League:
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Atlanta Braves
- St. Louis Cardinals
- New York Mets
- San Diego Padres
- Philadelphia Phillies
The MLB Playoff schedule shakes out like this:
AL Wild Card Series
- No. 1 Astros, No. 2 Yankees await in ALDS
- No. 3 Guardians vs. No. 6 Rays
- No. 4 Blue Jays vs No. 5 Mariners
NL Wild Card Series
- No. 1 Dodgers, No. 2 Braves await in NLDS
- No. 3 Cardinals vs No. 6 Phillies
- No. 4 Mets vs No. 5 Padres
Phillies bold predictions: How far can they go?
The Phillies lineup is as powerful as any, with the likes of Bryce Harper, Rhys Hoskins, Nick Castellanos, Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto all prominently featured. The rotation contains some capable arms, including Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler.
Philadelphia’s bullpen has some question marks, as Brad Hand and Corey Knebel are both on the injured list.