The Phillies chase top NL playoff seed vs. the Twins, with Nola starting and Duran facing former team.

The Philadelphia Phillies, seeking the top NL playoff seed, face the Minnesota Twins in a pivotal series as the regular season ends. With a 94-65 record, they trail the Brewers by two games for home-field advantage, though they hold the tiebreaker. The Phillies recently won a 1-0 shutout over the Marlins, highlighted by Walker Buehler’s strong start and a bullpen effort. Aaron Nola, returning from injury and struggling recently, will start Friday despite a poor career record against the Twins. Minnesota, already eliminated, is coming off a 4-0 win over Texas, powered by Byron Buxton’s two home runs, pushing his season totals to 34 homers and 82 RBIs. Joe Ryan, seeking a career-high 13 wins, has struggled in September. The series may also feature Jhoan Duran, the Phillies’ closer acquired from the Twins, making his first appearance against his former team after posting a 2.29 ERA and 15 saves since the trade.