The Philadelphia Phillies are riding one of their hottest stretches of the 2026 season, and they are taking that momentum with them to the West Coast.
Philadelphia has won nine consecutive games, transforming what had been a tense stretch of the season into a surge that has put the club firmly in the postseason picture. The Phillies will now look to make it 10 straight when they open a three-game interleague series against the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.
The remarkable run began with a dominant 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in MLB’s Field of Dreams game on Aug. 13 in Dyersville, Iowa. Kyle Schwarber provided much of the fireworks that night, launching two home runs as Philadelphia began building what has become an impressive winning streak.
The Phillies saved one of their most dramatic victories for Sunday.
Trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by four runs, Philadelphia appeared to be running out of opportunities. But with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Phillies mounted an incredible comeback, scoring five runs to turn a 4-0 deficit into a stunning 6-4 victory.
Edmundo Sosa started the rally with a two-strike double that brought Philadelphia within one run. Bryan De La Cruz followed with another two-strike hit, driving in the tying run and sending Citizens Bank Park into a frenzy.
That set the stage for Schwarber.
With the game tied, the Philadelphia slugger launched a towering 459-foot, two-run home run to straightaway center field, completing one of the most dramatic comebacks of the Phillies’ season and extending their winning streak to nine games.
Schwarber’s performance was another reminder of why he has been such a crucial part of Philadelphia’s offense. He entered the matchup leading the majors with 39 home runs, and his late-game power once again changed the outcome of a game that appeared to be slipping away.
The Phillies’ ability to keep fighting has become one of the defining characteristics of their recent run.
“You can talk about the resilience, the no quit, and that’s why you play all the outs,” Schwarber said. “You’re in it until you’re not.”
Sosa echoed that mentality after Philadelphia’s comeback, emphasizing that the team refuses to surrender regardless of the score or how late it is in the game.
The winning streak has also strengthened Philadelphia’s position in the National League playoff race. The Phillies now hold a four-game advantage in the NL wild-card race and remain within three games of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East.
What makes the current run particularly encouraging is that Philadelphia has not relied exclusively on home runs. Schwarber pointed out that the team has been finding ways to win in multiple areas, including defense, starting pitching and timely offense.
The pitching staff has continued to set the tone, while the defense has provided important support behind the starters. That balance has helped the Phillies survive difficult moments and put together victories even when their offense has not been firing from the opening inning.
Now, however, Philadelphia faces a Seattle team that will be eager to respond after suffering an embarrassing loss.
The Mariners had won five of their previous seven games while trying to position themselves for an American League playoff spot. But their momentum was abruptly halted Sunday when the Chicago Cubs crushed Seattle 19-2.
Seattle’s lone bright spot came from Randy Arozarena, who homered to lead off for the second consecutive game. The home run helped him reach another notable milestone, giving him six consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
Beyond Arozarena’s accomplishment, however, the Mariners struggled badly.
Seattle’s pitching staff was particularly stretched because of a short-handed bullpen. Jose A. Ferrer, a left-handed reliever, was forced to work 1 2/3 innings, potentially leaving Seattle with fewer fresh options heading into a series against a Philadelphia lineup featuring dangerous left-handed hitters such as Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson acknowledged how difficult the circumstances became during the blowout loss, with Seattle eventually turning to position players to finish the game.
That bullpen situation could become especially important against Philadelphia, which has demonstrated an ability to punish mistakes late in games.
Monday’s series opener will feature an intriguing pitching matchup between two former All-Stars: Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler and Seattle’s Logan Gilbert.
Wheeler enters the game with a 10-4 record and 2.92 ERA. Although he has lost his last three decisions, his most recent outing was encouraging. He allowed only two runs on two hits over five innings against Miami while recording seven strikeouts and four walks. Wheeler also has previous success against Seattle, going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in his lone career start against the Mariners.
Gilbert, meanwhile, comes in at 10-7 with a 3.35 ERA and has won his last two starts. He most recently defeated Milwaukee after allowing three runs on four hits across five innings.
However, his history against Philadelphia is far less encouraging. Gilbert is 0-3 with a 7.50 ERA in four career starts against the Phillies, giving Philadelphia another reason to feel confident entering the series.
The Phillies will now attempt to carry their “no quit” mentality across the country. After rallying from four runs down against St. Louis, they have demonstrated that they can win games in virtually every possible fashion.
With a nine-game winning streak, a strong position in the wild-card race and the NL East within reach, Philadelphia has plenty at stake in Seattle.
The Mariners, meanwhile, will be looking to quickly erase the memory of their 19-2 loss and prevent the red-hot Phillies from reaching double-digit wins in a row.
For Philadelphia, the message is simple: the fight continues until the final out.
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