Everything the Philadelphia Phillies need to clinch a playoff berth this week

With just one week remaining in the 2023 MLB regular season, the Philadelphia Phillies are essentially a lock to claim the top Wild Card spot in the National League.

With a 5-2 win over the Mets on Sunday, the Phillies actually could have clinched their second straight postseason berth if just one of the teams chasing them lost.

But much to the dismay of Philadelphia fans everywhere, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Miami Marlins, and Cincinnati Reds all won their respective games, meaning Rob Thomson & Co. would have to wait to pop the champagne.

So exactly what needs to happen this week for the Phillies to punch their postseason ticket?

Philadelphia Phillies magic number after sweeping the Mets

In completing a four-game sweep of the Mets, the Phillies' magic number to simply clinch a spot in the 2023 MLB postseason is now one, while the number to lock up the top Wild Card spot in the National League is just two.

With an 87-69 record heading into their off-day on Monday, Philadelphia is up 4.5 games on the Diamondbacks, five on the Cubs, and six on the Marlins. The Reds can still clinch a Wild Card berth but can't catch the Phillies, as they're 7.5 back of the top spot.

Simply put, Philadelphia will earn the No. 4 seed, which guarantees home-field advantage in the Wild Card Round. And if they don't want to rely on any help, all they'll need to do is win two of their final six games. The Phillies host the Pirates for a three-game set beginning Tuesday and close out the regular season with three more against the Mets in New York.

If, by some miracle, Philadelphia loses all six of their remaining games, all they'll need is the teams behind them, specifically the Diamondbacks and Cubs, to take a couple of defeats. The celebration could come as early as Tuesday.

Here's a quick look at the remaining schedules for the Phillies and the teams chasing them.

• Phillies: Tuesday-Thursday: vs. Pittsburgh (3); Friday-Sunday: at New York Mets (3)

• Diamondbacks: Monday: at New York Yankees (1); Tuesday-Thursday: at Chicago White Sox (3); Friday-Sunday: vs. Houston (3)

• Cubs: Tuesday-Thursday: at Atlanta (3); Friday-Sunday: at Milwaukee (3)

• Marlins: Tuesday-Thursday: at New York Mets (3); Friday-Sunday: at Pittsburgh (3)

• Reds: Tuesday-Wednesday: at Cleveland (2); Friday-Sunday: at St. Louis (3)