The Marlins have been taken care of. Now, the real test begins: A date with destiny and a rematch with the Braves. Paul and Matt look back on how the Phils took care of business against Miami, and what they need to do to topple the Braves again.

Red October is back. The Phillies kick off their Wild Card series tonight, and Paul and Matt dive in to look at how the teams stack up, what the Marlins would need to do to pull off the upset, and the impacts of the Phillies playing at home.

The Phils swept 4 from the Mets, and are lined up to clinch their spot in the playoffs this week. Paul and Matt take a look at the barren landscape of their fellow contenders' pitching, Orion Kerkering, the mercifully easy travel schedule ahead, and wonder a bit more about how Cris Sánchez fits into all this.

Breathing (a bit) easier after the start to the Cardinals series, Paul and Matt size up and rank the top current contenders for the Phillies' opponent in the Wild Card round. Plus a look at how (and with who) the playoff rotation might shake out behind Zack Wheeler. Is Nola still #2? Does Taijuan Walker make a start before Cris Sánchez?

The Phillies still have a top Wild Card spot to solidify, and a little bit of pride to save by keeping the Braves from clinching the division on their turf this week. Paul and Matt survey the pitching situation, the full-unit offensive turnaround since The Ovations, and think about the best outfield combinations as the playoffs creep closer.

With the long holiday weekend in the books, Paul and Matt hop on to talk about the fascinating season that is Kyle Schwarber's 2023, why the bullpen's recent struggles shouldn't conjure too many memories of last September, and a couple Old School vs. New School debates that are sure to go over well.

The Phillies can't stop hitting homers and padding their Wild Card position, and you know what? That feels pretty good. Now the Ohtani Sho(w) comes to town, pitting two franchises who could not be on more different paths against one another. Paul and Matt regroup to extol the virtues of multi-run homers, Bryson Stott possibly turning into an s-word (not that one, the good s-word), and the not-so-impossible feat of winning 90 games.

It's time for another Giants series, and you know what that means: Paul has a normal one. Matt recaps the spectacle of the Little League Classic from out near Williamsport, and the guys take stock of the team and Wild Card scenarios as they head into the end stages of August.

Even a flat ending to last weekend's Twins series can't take all the shine away from the Phillies' current positioning. Their play the past month-plus has helped push them to the top Wild Card seed, with a couple games' cushion to boot. Paul and Matt test the waters of confidence and extol the team's play, while thinking ahead to some upcoming rotation strategy and roster configuring.

It was a productive week in Wild Card Land, as the Phillies surged ahead while some others began to fall off. Paul and Matt check in on post-ovation Trea Turner, the remarkable production of the young bats, the upcoming week-plus of a Frankenstein('s monster) in left field, and local vs. national expectations four months in.