Heading into the afternoon affair, the Phillies' magic number to clinch the National League East was down to one. A win or a New York Mets loss would have secured Philadelphia's second consecutive NL East title. pic.twitter.com/KN9kgHueta — Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 14, 2025Phillies' loss to Royals paired with Mets' win stalls NL East celebrations as magic number stalls at oneWith the Phillies sweeping the Mets in four games earlier in the week, the magic number was five coming into the series with the Royals. So, as it stands heading into Monday's action, the Phillies' NL East magic number remains at one. With 12 games left on the schedule and a 12-game lead in the division, it's inevitable that the Phillies will win the NL East.