Philadelphia Phillies Hit Road To Begin Huge Test Of Games
The recent hot run of play by the Philadelphia Phillies was tainted by losing two games in a row to the Minnesota Twins. It was the first series they lost in the month of August as they began to separate themselves in the Wild Card race.
The Phillies hit the road to begin their two game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
This marks the biggest test of the season for Philadelphia as they'll face a team above .500, a divisional rival on the road and a team right behind them in the NL Wild Card race.
Coming into the game Tuesday, the Phillies have a losing record against teams above .500 on the season. They went on their hot streak facing the Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals.
They have to show they can beat the good teams in the MLB if they are true contenders.
Currently, Philadelphia is two-and-a-half games clear of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. The San Francisco Giants are two games behind them in the playoff standings.
After two games against the Blue Jays, they stay on the road facing the Nationals who are 7-3 in their last 10 games with a three game win streak.
Then they'll start a nine game home stretch, headlined by the Giants looking to rebound from their recent poor form.
Depending on how the upcoming series go, that could be a huge slate to ensure that the Phillies are still comfortably in the playoff race.
Beginning Tuesday, Philadelphia will either show they are one of the best teams in baseball and ready to contend, or they'll be fighting for their playoff lives throughout the remainder of the season.