You can analyze the game any way you want, but at the end of the day, baseball all comes down to one simple fact: Can you outscore your opponent? And what better way to do it than with a home run? Strong base running and stacking up singles and doubles? That's so old-fashioned. Modern society is all about instant gratification.
The Phillies have not been a home run or bust team this postseason, to be clear. But their key moments have come with a smattering of the long ball. Key players have hit multiple home runs per game at various points and pushed the momentum past the line of no return, leaving opponents in the dust.
As it would have it, the recent home run onslaught has them flirting with a potential record...
Phillies coming up on home run record in postseason
After the Phillies hit three home runs in the first inning of the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, they pushed their postseason total up to 16. Even if they don't get another home run in Game 1, they'll be averaging 2.29 per game by the end of this one.
Let's assume Philly will play 10 more postseason games between the NLCS (at least three more games) and advance to the World Series, where they would play at least four games. It's reasonable to expect their opponents would win some and push their game total to at least 10 between the two possible remaining series.
If they also kept up the current postseason home run pace, it would bring in a whopping 22 more home runs to add to the running tally of 16... Bringing them up to 38 overall. The postseason record? Tampa Bay Rays with 34 in 2020, per Statmuse.
Keeping the pace up from the last few games could be a tall ask, though.
Notably, coming into the series the Diamondbacks are on a record-setting pace for home runs themselves with 2.6 per game. They also had 13 home runs coming into the contest but played a game fewer than Philadelphia because they swept the Dodgers in the NLDS.
It seems as if home runs will be the series between these two... And the team that comes out very well may break the Rays record of 34 set a few years back.
Even if the Phils or Diamondbacks don't set a new high water mark on postseason home runs, you have to sit back and just say "wow" at the string of the last few games. The Diamondbacks have hit eight in their last three games.
For Philly, the last three games have featured 11 home runs, including three from Bryce Harper.
