PHILADELPHIA — Not only have the Phillies been more or less resting for the past six days, they’re less creaky than their oh-so familiar National League Division Series opponent, the New York Mets. If you’re going by current rosters, the Mets average out to the second-oldest team in the major leagues at 30.3 years, behind only their possible NLCS opponents, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
True to their age, the Mets are also banged up and not so well rested. That was evidenced by the announcement Friday that would-be ace Kodai Senga, who has been unhealthy this season to the point that he made all of one appearance, in July against Atlanta, lasting 5.1 innings then marching off to sick bay again, is the Game 1 starter Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies? They come in at No. 10 of the 30 MLB teams on the old list, certainly not spring chickens but perhaps qualifying as a collective group still in its prime. Prime or not, they know the time to achieve what they are again chasing is now.
So after a terribly disappointing finish to their 2023 playoff and two years removed from a surprise World Series appearance, the Phillies start another postseason journey Saturday with this better-of-five NLDS. “I think the experience we gained the last two years, it’s addicting,” catcher J.T.
Realmuto said Friday. “Winning in the postseason, that’s something we all enjoy doing and we’ve become accustomed to it. If we want to take that next step and actually be able to finis.
