The Phillies had what felt like eons worth of playoff drought frustration to release in the confines of Minute Maid Park on Monday night. And almost as satisfying as the franchise’s first postseason clincher in 11 years were the sights and sounds that accompanied it — however much the champagne blurred the cameras we watched them on in the minutes after Aaron Nola, Zach Eflin and co. sent the Phillies to a place they hadn’t been in over a decade.
Fittingly, the end of the drought ushered in the drenching of a clubhouse, along with moments that will be etched into the minds of Phillies fans for a long, long time — even if they’re forgotten tomorrow, for obvious reasons, by those who experienced them.
Rob Thomson Jumps The Gun
“We’re not done,” Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson said before the celebration got fully under way. “After Wednesday, we’ve got 13 more wins, and then we’re world champions.”
But that’s not where Thomson jumped the gun. After all, maybe he’s right.
The skipper jumped the gun by forgetting you have to pop the champagne bottle before you drink it.
By the time he realized, Kyle Schwarber let out an expletive, the celebration began, and Topper was soaked.
Jean Segura Lets It All Out
Jean Segura had waited a long time for this moment. The active leader in games played without a postseason appearance, Segura has been in the league for almost as long as the Phillies have been out of the playoffs.
In his 11th season, with his fifth Major League team, Segura will finally taste the postseason — just a few days after tasting the champagne he gleefully poured on his head after screaming into Bryson Stott’s Instagram Live.
No One Is Safe From Kyle Schwarber
Including the opposite-field shot that set the tone on the first pitch of the ballgame, Schwarber swatted two home runs in Monday’s clincher.
One home run, it turned out, for each bottle of beer that Schwarber dumped — and held — over Thomson’s head during the manager’s interview with Tom McCarthy.
But Schwarber wouldn’t have been in that clubhouse if it weren’t for Dave Dombrowski, who made Schwarber his first big free-agent signing as a Phillie with a $79 million contract back in March.
Schwarber thanked the longtime executive in a particularly Schwarber-esque manner: a lot of beer on his head.
Nick Maton … Barks?
Not sure how to describe this one, but Maton, who calls himself “wolfie” and captions literally every Instagram post with “🐺,” lived up to his self-imposed nickname — and apparently started a trend.
OK.
José Alvarado cChannels LeBron (Again?)
José Alvarado has been an incredible story. Alvarado struggled his way to a Triple-A demotion back in May, then emerged as one of the best relievers — maybe the best reliever — in baseball upon his return.
Alvarado has allowed five earned runs in 37 innings since June 12. He’s allowed one run in 21 innings since the start of August. He struck out three in 1 1/3 perfect innings in Monday’s clincher.
But his general dominance of the sport over the last few months isn’t the only time Alvarado has channeled his inner LeBron …
Rhys Hoskins Finally Punches His Ticket
There are countless players on the Phillies’ 2022 roster who waited ages for Monday to come. Arguably none of them — besides maybe Nola — have been through more with the organization than Rhys Hoskins.
On Monday, he finally broke through.
A beautiful thing, indeed.
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