Walker Buehler Shines as Phillies Edge Marlins 1-0, Eliminate Miami from 2025 MLB Playoff Race

Thursday, September 25th, 2025

Philadelphia Phillies Shut Out Miami Marlins to Eliminate Them from Wild-Card Race

Walker Buehler delivered a dominant performance with five scoreless innings, leading the Philadelphia Phillies to a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. This win on Thursday night not only secured another notch in the Phillies' win column but also officially eliminated the Marlins from wild-card contention.

Pitching Dominates in Close Contest

Buehler (10-7) showcased his control and poise on the mound, allowing just three hits, three walks, and hitting a batter across five innings. After Buehler, Taijuan Walker handled two innings of relief, followed by Matt Strahm in the eighth. After a lengthy rain delay, veteran closer David Robertson—at 40 years old—clinched the save, his second of the season.

Janson Junk (6-4) took the loss for Miami in this tightly contested game.

Phillies' Offense Relies on Small Ball

Philadelphia’s offense, which set a club record with eight home runs just the night before in an 11-1 rout, was held in check in this matchup. The only run of the game came in the first inning, thanks to Alec Bohm’s groundout.

Key Moment: Walker Escapes Sixth-Inning Jam

The game’s momentum hinged on a critical sixth inning. As Taijuan Walker entered to relieve Buehler, he immediately faced adversity, walking Xavier Edwards and surrendering a single to Liam Hicks. With two runners on and no outs, Walker responded under pressure by retiring Otto Lopez on a fly to center and striking out both Griffin Conine and Connor Norby to leave the runners stranded and preserve the slim lead.

Key Stat: Buehler Stays Perfect with Phillies

Buehler, who joined the Phillies on a minor-league deal on August 31, has now earned the win in all three of his appearances for Philadelphia, proving to be a pivotal late-season addition.

What’s Next for Both Teams?

The Phillies will close out their regular season at home against the Minnesota Twins. In Friday’s opener, they’ll send Aaron Nola (4-10, 6.46 ERA) to the mound against Twins starter Joe Ryan (13-9, 3.47 ERA).

The Marlins, meanwhile, return home to finish their season hosting the New York Mets, who remain in the hunt for the third wild-card spot. Miami will start Sandy Alcantara (10-12, 5.48 ERA) against New York’s Brandon Sproat (0-1, 3.94 ERA).

In summary

The Philadelphia Phillies edged out the Miami Marlins 1-0 in a pitching-centered battle that showcased Walker Buehler’s prowess and eliminated the Marlins from wild-card contention. Strong bullpen performances, timely defense, and a key first-inning groundout proved decisive. While the Phillies look ahead to the postseason, the Marlins turn their focus to building for next year after falling short of the playoffs.

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