"In the world that we want to it to be in, we’ll be in first place and be raising a banner to win the division."
These words Thursday from Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen were an unmistakable September prediction.
When Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies' "Hit King," made a similar declaration 14 years ago, it preceded a five-year string of National League East Division titles.
Of course confidence alone doesn't win titles, but it certainly must help. And the Phillies have good reason to be confident.
They rallied from a 6-0 deficit against the Washington Nationals to win 7-6 Thursday afternoon. McCutchen drove in the Phils' first four runs in the comeback. This made it seven games in a row of scoring at least seven runs, matching a streak the franchise had in 1933.
"We thought about it," McCutchen said. "We knew it. We knew it. We were like, ‘Just keep it there, guys. Keep it there. We’re gonna score at least seven. It’s gonna happen.'"
And it did — beginning the critical month of September on the right foot.
Entering the weekend, the Phillies are two games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the East, with 29 games left. They are two games behind the Cincinnati Reds for the second wild card spot, with the San Diego Padres also to jump and the St. Louis Cardinals to fend off.
Technically, the New York Mets could figure in both races, but they have had a major decline in recent months after long run in first place. It’s the Braves, not hte Mets, that they want to keep in their sights.
Since 2018, Septembers have been putrid for the Phillies. Witness their nine-year postseason drought. With the payroll they have invested in this team, it’s time to return to "Red October."
But to do that, the Phillies must keep handling their business and not worry about what their competitors are doing. They need some help to jump the Braves or slot into the second wild card, but no amount of help will matter if they don’t consistently win series.
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On paper, their schedule is favorable, with two series against the Miami Marlins, and matchups with inferior teams including the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates.
"We know what we can do. We have the schedule to be able to do that, so we just gotta go out there and do it,” McCutchen said.
Over the next month, they simply cannot flop as they did in their road series at the Arizona Diamondbacks -- especially considering that none of the Phillies remaining National League East games are at home.
So, if their sweep of the Nationals in D.C. is an indication of what to expect in September, buckle up. It might be a lot of fun.
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