By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
PHILADELPHIA — Just 43 games and 14 series remain on the 2016 Philadelphia Phillies' schedule, 24 and 8 to be played at Citizens Bank Park, respectively.
Of these 43 games, 26 are against teams in which the Phillies currently trail in the National League Wild Card standings: Los Angeles Dodgers (3, 10 GB), Miami Marlins (6, 6.5 GB), St. Louis Cardinals (3, 6.5 GB), Pittsburgh Pirates (4, 5.5 GB) and New York Mets (10, 3.5 GB).
While earning their first Wild Card berth and first playoff berth overall since the franchise-best 102-win season in 2011 may seem a reach, the Phillies are at the closest to accomplishing such feat comparing this point in the season over the past five.
At the same point last season, 119 games in, the Phillies trailed the Wild Card by 22 games. They were 10 games back in 2014, 14 in 2013 and 12 in 2012.
The team is playing well to make a late-playoff push. Among National League teams in the month of August, they have scored the second-most runs, 74, and have posted the third-best bullpen ERA, 3.02.
Perennial second baseman Chase Utley, a six-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and 2008 World Series champion, will oppose his former club tonight for the first time since his August 2015 trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Phillies, who are 14-15 (.483) since the All-Star break, head into the series against the Dodgers having won four straight games while outscoring their opponents 29-17.
As the next few series unfold, time will tell if the Phillies can call themselves "playoff contenders" heading into September.
