According to Phils, playoff celebrations just get better

This story was excerpted from Todd Zolecki’s Phillies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Garrett Stubbs partied in his powder blue Phillies overalls Tuesday night because somebody needed to do it.

Do these celebrations ever get old?

“I just asked Craig [Kimbrel] earlier, ‘After 13 years, does it get old?’” Stubbs said after the Phillies clinched the No. 1 NL Wild Card with a 3-2 victory in 10 innings over the Pirates. “And he said, ‘Oh, it only gets better.’ So, I think it’s guys like that who give us a chance to win that last game of the playoffs this year and push us to that World Series.”

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A few thoughts from the Phillies during Tuesday night’s celebration:

Garrett Stubbs

“I think this is everything. Celebrating with your teammates like this brings everyone together even more and makes you play a little harder for the guys on the field. Just look around at all these guys. This is our family. That’s how you win games, we’ve seen that the last two years.”

Brandon Marsh

“We’re soaking wet right now celebrating. It’s been a heck of a ride, but it’s only the beginning though. This is what it’s all about. This is why we wake up every day and come to the yard for 162. For this feeling right there. It’s just the beginning. We’ve just got to stay humble and keep moving.

“Two more wins than last year. We keep saying it. We don’t want to look too far ahead. We know we have a long road ahead to get back to where we were last year. It’s just a blessing to be in this moment, a blessing to be a part of this team. Go Phils, baby. Go Phils.”

John Middleton (managing partner and chief executive officer)

“It feels good. This team is peaking. Players are basically healthy. Some people are nicked up, but you have to be after six-plus months of playing baseball. But they’re healthy, they’re playing well and they’re a great team. They’re very tenacious. They just keep plugging away.”

Alec Bohm

“Just find a way to get to the next celebration. We’ve got the experience. We’ve added some good pieces. It’s anyone’s game, anybody can win it. We’re in, so we’ve got as good a chance as anybody. So, we’ll see what happens.”

Zack Wheeler

“Coming back the next year is special. It’s really hard to make the playoffs. We don’t take it for granted. That’s our goal every year coming into Spring Training is winning the World Series. Last year, we made it there. This year, we want to win it.

“The season went by really fast for me, personally. Short offseason since we made it so far last year. It’s still a little fresh, but we’re making our own new path this year and hopefully we can win.”

Bryson Stott

“A lot of us have kind of gone through October and stuff now, and these celebrations never get old. So, we always want to do it again. We’re always looking forward to the next one. So, we just need to keep winning and they’ll keep coming.”

José Alvarado

“Everything is good right now. Keep working. Don't change anything. Everything is good right now."

Nick Castellanos

“All the guys that were here last year have been to Game 6 of a World Series. We also have Trea [Turner]. We have [Taijuan] Walker. [Michael] Lorenzen. You know? We have the pieces, man. Now let's just stay healthy and go play.”

Kyle Schwarber

“Every year you make it, it's special. It doesn't matter first, second, division winner, whatever it is. Anytime you make the playoffs, it's special. Because not every team does that. There's going to be a lot of players in the big leagues that don't make the playoffs. It's just a fact. So, every time you make it, you celebrate it. It means just as much as the last one. Enjoy this tonight. Get through the rest of it. Now we go.”