# Phillies Magic Number Drops

> Phillies magic number drops to eight after Diamondbacks loss.
- Title: Phillies Magic Number Drops · Philadelphia Phillies On SI
- Summary: Phillies magic number drops to eight after Diamondbacks loss. Philadelphia Phillies saw their magic number drop to eight after Arizona Diamondbacks lost…
- Keywords: phillies, wild card, arizona diamondbacks, san diego padres, cubs, mets, magic number, playoff spot, sports, Magic, Number, Drops
- Source: Philadelphia Phillies On SI — https://si.com/mlb/phillies/onsi/phillies-magic-number-drops-despite-recent-struggles
- Published: 2026-09-16T14:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: phillies, wild card, arizona diamondbacks, san diego padres, cubs, mets, magic number, playoff spot, sports
## Phillies lose 6-3 to Nationals
Philadelphia Phillies lost to Washington Nationals 6-3 on Tuesday night, marking their fourth loss in five games.
## Phillies aimed for sweep
Phillies hoped to sweep the two-game set against Nationals with Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler pitching.
## Sanchez underperformed
Sanchez was not at his best, and the Phillies offense scored just three runs in the loss.
## Magic number drops to eight
Phillies magic number sits at eight after Arizona Diamondbacks lost, helping them get closer to a playoff spot.
## Wild card race tightens
Wild card race is a three-team battle with Phillies 2.5 games back of San Diego Padres for final spot.
## Phillies need Wednesday win
Phillies need Zack Wheeler to get a win on Wednesday to stay in playoff contention.
## Mets series looms
Phillies face four-game series against New York Mets next weekend, with Mets hoping to spoil their division rival.
## Key takeaway

Philadelphia Phillies saw their magic number drop to eight after Arizona Diamondbacks lost, moving them closer to a playoff spot.