Imagine traveling back to May 2022 and getting a Mets fan, a Braves fan, and a Phillies fan into a room and telling the Phillies fan they would be the last team standing in the NL East. After the Mets and Braves fans stopped laughing, the Phillies fan would probably take a swing for getting their hopes up.
Somehow, someway, that’s the exact situation we find ourselves in this postseason. The Phillies defeated the Braves in the NLDS while the Mets lost to the Padres in the Wild Card Round, leaving Philadelphia as the East representative in the NLCS against the Padres.
The Phillies snapped a 10-year playoff drought to get here, and they’ve arrived in a big way under Rob Thomson. The interim-turned-full-time manager put up a 65-46 record with the Phillies after Joe Girardi was fired in June, enough to get the No. 6 seed in the NL. That earned them a date with the Cardinals, whom they swept in two games, and the Braves, who they beat in four.
Now they’re in the NLCS with the Padres, fellow Wild Card gate crashers, and for the first time in MLB history two non-division winners are playing for a World Series spot. Will the Phillies make the World Series for the first time since 2009? Here’s a look at their history with the Fall Classic as they look to defy the odds this year.
Have the Phillies won the World Series?
In a word: Yes.
The Phillies are two-time World Series winners, having taken the Commissioner’s Trophy home twice (albeit once before it was called such).
MORE: When is the last time the Padres went to a World Series?
The Phillies won the World Series in 1980 behind one of the best seasons in individual Phillies history from Mike Schmidt, who also won World Series MVP as the Phillies beat the Royals 4-2. They then won again in 2008 beating the Rays 4-1, with Cole Hamels winning World Series MVP honors.
They have won the NL pennant a total of seven times.
When is the last time the Phillies made the World Series?
The last World Series appearance for Philadelphia was in 2009, just a year after they defeated the Rays in 2008.
2008 was highlighted by the likes of Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley. Howard’s run was particularly notable, as he slugged 48 home runs and drove in 146 runners on the year. The Phillies simply overmatched the Rays in the World Series, and despite every game except Game 4 being close, the Phillies were able to keep the breaks and win in five games.
They weren’t so fortunate in their return appearance, losing in six to the Yankees. The Yankees’ manager at the time was future Phillies manager Girardi.
2009 saw four Phillies hit over 30 home runs: Ryan Howard (45), Jayson Werth (36), Raul Ibanez (34), and Chase Utley (31).
The sluggers were sensational, while J.A. Happ turned in a sub-three ERA for them that season. In a high-scoring World Series, however, the Yankees simply out-hit the Phillies and won in six games behind MVP Hideki Matsui, who had three home runs and an OPS over 2.000.
Phillies World Series appearances
The Phillies have made seven World Series appearances, and have a record of 2-5 in those appearances.
They have wins in 1980 and 2008 (Rays), and losses in 1915, 1950, 1983, 1993, and 2009.
Here’s a look at the Phillies’ World Series history.
| Date | Opponent | Result | MVP |
| 1915 | Red Sox | Red Sox (4-1) | N/A |
| 1950 | Yankees | Yankees (4-0) | N/A |
| 1980 | Royals | Phillies (4-2) | Mike Schmidt |
| 1983 | Orioles | Orioles (4-1) | Rick Dempsey |
| 1993 | Blue Jays | Blue Jays (4-2) | Paul Molitor |
| 2008 | Rays | Phillies (4-1) | Cole Hamels |
| 2009 | Yankees | Yankees (4-2) | Hideki Matsui |
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