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Did the Phillies win the NL East? How Phillies can clinch the division

The Philadelphia Phillies have been on a tear since the 2025 MLB trade deadline. After picking up Harrison Bader and Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins, the Phillies have been one of the best teams in baseball from top to bottom.

With 13 games left to play, the Phillies are looking to be in great shape to win the National League East. The only question is how close the Phillies are to clinching the division and the various ways they can secure their second straight NL East crown.

After the Phillies' win over the Kansas City Royals, their magic number is down to just one, as the Phillies shared on social media. Sitting on the doorstep of the NL East title, what do the Phillies need to do to secure the division?

How the Phillies can clinch the NL East

The Phillies are 89-60, in first place in the NL East by 13 games over the New York Mets. It's a huge lead that was built thanks to an incredible four-game sweep of the Mets, which effectively put the division out of reach, and only made it a matter of time before the Phillies were crowned as division winners.

There are two scenarios where the Phillies can clinch the East. If the Phillies win just one more game, or the Mets lose one more game, the division race will be over, and the Phillies will secure their second straight division title.

Philadelphia plays the Royals on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. and could secure the NL East while at home. But even if they lose, if the Mets fall to the Texas Rangers, then the Phillies would win the division.

One. pic.twitter.com/dDbfYhWdan

— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 14, 2025

On the mound for the Phillies against the Royals is Aaron Nola, who had a massive bounce-back start against the Mets to help kick off the dominant four-game sweep in Philadelphia. Nola has a 6.24 ERA with a 4-8 record and a 1.45 WHIP in 75 innings pitched this season.

Noah Cameron is on the mound for the Royals. He has a 3.00 ERA and a 7-7 record this season with a 1.12 WHIP across 120 innings pitched. The left-hander has struggled a bit lately, allowing at least two runs in each of his last four outings, including a six-run outing against the Chicago White Sox.

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If they can't clinch the East on Sunday, the Phillies will travel out west for six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Mets, meanwhile, would welcome the San Diego Padres to New York, far from an easy matchup.

The chance to clinch the NL East comes against the Royals, fittingly, on the same day that each respective NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, is set to face off in a Super Bowl rematch.

Losing the NL East is incredibly unlikely. The Phillies would need to lose out, while the Mets would need to win out. With how both teams have played as of late, such a scenario is improbable.

The Phillies' clinching scenario is straightforward: either win one more game or have the Mets lose one more game. Philadelphia can clinch the NL East with a win over the Royals on Sunday, September 14th. If they do clinch the East, they'd be the first team to win their division in 2025.