We are back with the 97.3 Phillies Mailbag.  It’s an N.L. East Championship edition as the Phillies took care of business on Monday night.  Tune in Tuesday afternoons to hear your questions answered on the air.

Do the Phillies keep their foot on the gas to pass Milwaukee for the best record in the National League? Or do they coast, rest and regroup for the postseason?
~Ed

The Phillies clinched the National League East with their 90th win on Monday night.  With 11 games to go, the Phillies are 1.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the top seed.  They also have a 5.5 game lead over the the Los Angeles Dodgers, currently in position for the third seed.

That sets up a magic number of 11 for the third seed: any combination of Phillies wins and Dodgers losses (the Padres are just two games behind the Dodgers and certainly not out of the division).

The Phillies do not want to play in a Wild Card round.

Therefore, I think you might see a few get a rest tonight, the day after the clincher.  I think Kyle Schwarber will be in the DH spot with an eye towards the Phillies home run record of 58 set by Ryan Howard.  (Schwarber is five behind).

But I would not be shocked if Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto did not play tonight.  Maybe Garrett Stubbs gets a start somewhere other than catcher with Rafael Marchan behind the plate.

The Phillies will still pitch their current ace, Cristopher Sanchez.

I think the Phillies would like to take another game from the Dodgers this series to get them further behind, and then they face the Arizona Diamondbacks for three.  The Diamondbacks are just 1.5 games behind the New York Mets for the final Wild Card slot.

Then the Phillies have the Marlins and Twins at home.

I can see them easing up for some of those home games, resting one-two players at a time.  But they don’t want them completely easing up to the point they are not ready come the postseason.  I think it’s important that they’re ready for the playoffs.  I would hope they could win at least six of the remaining 11 to secure that bye.

But after this road trip? I wouldn’t be shocked if they win more than that.

Who do the Phillies put in the Postseason rotation?
~Jerry

The Phillies currently employ a six-man rotation.  After adding Walker Buehler, the Phillies rotation is as follows: Cristopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, and Aaron Nola.  Assuming the Phillies earn the bye and can line up their rotation, here is what I would do.

Without a doubt, Sanchez will be the ace.  The likely runner-up to the Cy Young award behind Paul Skenes (though who knows?) would most certainly be on the mound to start the National League Division Series.  Easy one there.

I would pitch Suarez second.  His last start before finding out the bad news about Zack Wheeler was his worst start.  But he has awakened after that moment and has been locked in.  That is an easy number two.

Then it gets tricky.

My choice for the division series would be based upon matchups.  I would not go into the series naming all three starters.  The Phillies need just three thanks to off days.

I would see how the other two lefties fare against the lineup they’re facing.  If the lefties worked well? I would go Luzardo.  If not so much? I would go Nola.

When we get to a four-game series, I would say both would start.

It’s hard not to say that something is “owed” to Nola.  He has a couple starts left to demonstrate that the Phillies can trust him deep into games.  He certainly ran out of gas on Sunday.

But at least in the playoffs there is a quicker hook for starting pitchers and the Phillies have a deep bullpen and can piece together the later innings since they have the depth and off days to keep relievers fresh.

Can they afford to sign both Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto? Do you try and sign Bader?
~Chris

I think it’s early to worry about all of this, but, I think that they would prefer to have all three next year, if possible.

Kyle Schwarber I have a really hard time thinking won’t be back.  Let me put it this way: could you imagine the Phillies hosting the 2026 All-Star game and Schwarber coming in as a visiting player and participating in the Home Run Derby?  No way.

Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic had this to say:

The expectation is that designated hitter Kyle Schwarber will remain with the Philadelphia Phillies. A four-year deal at $30-million plus per season seems realistic, in part, because his leadership adds to his value.

That’s a lot of money, but it will keep the player.  And it will keep other teams away from Schwarber.  I am not worried about that.

Harrison Bader has certainly been a spark to this Phillies team.  It’s hard to believe that he has been on so many teams in his career.  He fits very nicely in center field for the Phillies and I think they’d like to keep him.

Bader’s contract has a $10 million mutual option for 2026.  That means if they both opt into it, it will vest.

The Phillies I believe would like him back.  It’s hard to see Bader wanting to leave.  But I think he might have played himself into a three-year contract.

Would a three-year, $39 million deal do the trick?   I think that’s good for both sides and the Phillies and Bader could come to terms with something of the sort.  With Justin Crawford playing primarily left field at Triple-A down the stretch (prior to his recent injury) I think they might be looking to see how Crawford looks in a corner next to Bader.

Finally, J.T. Realmuto is left.  The Phillies do not have endless money.  But there are not an endless supply of catchers.  I think that works in favor of Realmuto returning.

Could Realmuto squeeze more dollars out of someone else?  Maybe.  But the recent trend (Aaron Nola) is to take a very good deal but not the best deal to stay in Philadelphia.

I think Realmuto would prefer to end his career in Philadelphia.  More importantly, the Phillies will have to come up with a long-term solution to the catching position, as they would go into this deal expecting Realmuto to catch less and less.  They’ve gotten a remarkably healthy five years out of their backstop.

What more can he do after age 35 and beyond?  Catchers have a hard time staying at the position.  But I can see the Phillies giving him every opportunity.