Part of what makes sports great are the intense rival games each season. From the Yankees/Red Sox, Celtics/Lakers, Cowboys/Eagles, Packers/Bears, and many others, the rival games are marked off on the calendar as the “must-see” games of the season. Who are the top rivals of the Phillies, both now and historically? Let’s run down the top five.
No. 5: Pittsburgh Pirates
While the rivalry has cooled since the Pirates moved to the NL Central in 1994, the cross-state rivalry was at its peak from 1970 through 1980. The two franchises dominated the NL East during the period.