Philadelphia Phillies Accomplished Yet Another 'Major League First' on Friday

The good times keep on rolling for the Philadelphia Phillies this season as they continue to look like the team to beat.

May 27, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) is congratulated by first baseman Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the third inning at Oracle Park. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Phillies were able to put a stop to their worst stretch of play since the beginning of the year when they beat the San Francisco Giants to avoid a sweep.

Prior to their day off on Thursday, this team looked mortal for the first time in a long time after dropping two series in a row against the Colorado Rockies and Giants.

Things happen during this long season, so there isn't much to be concerned about regarding the big picture, but a little stumble down the stretch of May almost cost them their current spot as holders of the best record in baseball.

Entering Saturday's slate of games, that is not the case.

The Phillies beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of their six-game homestand and became the first team to win 40 contests this year.

They can add that to the list of other "Major League firsts" they've accomplished already this season as the first to win 20 and 30 games, plus be 20 games clear of the .500 mark.

Philadelphia will say this doesn't matter since they're just focused on playing good baseball that will have them playing their best by the time the playoffs arrive so they can accomplish their goal of winning the World Series, but it's still been impressive what they've done so far.

When looking at the current standings, the Phillies aren't the only ones with 40 wins.

The New York Yankees were able to hit that mark after winning the opener of their three-game slate in San Francisco, but because they were playing on the West Coast, it allowed Philadelphia to reach that number first.

Both teams had major expectations coming into the year.

With the Phillies having been so close to winning the title the past two seasons, they didn't need to make massive upgrades to enter this campaign with championship pressure. The Yankees did after failing to make the playoffs in 2023, but a roster overhaul placed expectations right back on this team.

Right now, these two look like the two best in Major League Baseball, and could be on a collision course to meet in the World Series just like they did in 1950 and 2009.