Prolific slugger Kyle Schwarber did not want to get hung up on “what ifs” after the Philadelphia Phillies went down 1-0 versus the Atlanta Braves in the National League Wild Card Series, but following Thursday's 6-2 season-ending loss, it is hard not to think about what could have been. And not just this year.
If Orion Kerkering successfully fields the ground ball, do the Phillies find new life versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 NL Division Series? If Luis Arraez stays healthy for the 2026 postseason, does this lineup break through in Atlanta? What about if Philly clinches a playoff berth before the final day of the regular season and gets to use Zack Wheeler at full force? Or if Dave Dombrowski did a better job of shoring up the bullpen so Don Mattingly did not feel inclined to use closer Jhoan Duran for two innings in Game 1?
Or if Mattingly did not place trust in the struggling Aaron Nola in a do-or-die Game 3? And what would happen if the lineup cashed in its opportunities? The list goes on and on, producing migraines all throughout the City of Brotherly Love. This group could have changed its fate, but no amount of what ifs will make this fan base feel better. People are not going to say “we were right there.”
Mattingly, who worked his last game as Phillies interim manager (remains to be seen if he gets the job), perfectly described this latest October defeat. “If you don't win the last game, it's a crash landing no matter what,” he said, per Jeff Skversky. “Doesn't matter where it is.”
Article Continues Below“Crash landing”
💔 Don Mattingly after the Phillies are eliminated says no question the way they finished the regular season hurt them vs Braves in the Wild Card because they could not set up their pitching
Mattingly had no answers for the hitters struggling on series pic.twitter.com/5ZbRUE1vCk
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) October 2, 2026
Philly has endured too many crash landings of late. Dombrowski helped this franchise become an NL champion/perennial playoff team once again, and that is the first step toward achieving ultimate success, but fans demand better preparation.
Nola and Wheeler gave up a combined five runs on Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies homers, Trea Turner ended the series with a .091 batting average after going 0-for-3 on Thursday and the Phillies failed to hit with runners on scoring position. The thud came early, and Mattingly's squad never really got off the ground.
And now it is going home for what will be another crucial offseason. The fan base will have a hard time shaking this one off.