Phillies are eyeing the NL East title and a first-round playoff bye in their last homestand

As the Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park for the final time this regular season to host the Chicago Cubs, they have some items on their to-do list.

First is clinching the National League East title, their first since 2011. But even once the champagne is popped, the work won’t end there. A sweep of the Cubs would secure a first-round bye in the playoffs, and beyond that, every game counts toward the Phillies’ goal of finishing with the top record in the NL.

In turn, that would guarantee home-field advantage through the World Series. Entering Monday, the Phillies are 52-26 at home — the best home record in baseball this year — compared to 40-38 away from the Bank.

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“I feel like it’s the best atmosphere in sports,” said reliever Jeff Hoffman. “Obviously, it’s nine vs. nine on the field, but it feels like it’s 50,000 vs. nine.”

The Phillies lost their previous two series on the road against the Brewers and Mets, both opponents the Phillies could meet again in October.

“They were good games. I mean, playoff-type atmosphere, playoff-type results for the most part,” said manager Rob Thomson. “Good test, really. And I thought for the most part, we played well, just came up on the short end.”

The Phillies struck out 41 times in their four-game set in New York, and they squandered two opportunities to clinch the division title. But Thomson doesn’t think that the pressure to wrap things up has been weighing on the team.

“I think these guys have been through a lot in the last couple of years,” he said. “That type of thing is second nature.”

Austin Hays (kidney infection) has rejoined the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park following his two-game rehab stint in Lehigh Valley. He went through his full workout on Monday at the field, and depending on how he comes out of it, could be activated on Tuesday. The triple-A season ended on Sunday, and Hays went 2-for-9 over the two games. He was the designated hitter on Saturday and played all nine innings in left field on Sunday.

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“He feels good,” Thomson said. “He liked the way he played the game and came out of it.”

It’s unclear how Hays’ return will impact the Phillies’ outfield plans. When he was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline, Hays was considered by Thomson as the Phillies’ everyday left fielder and a key matchup at the plate against left-handed pitching. Before his kidney infection, Hays was hitting .350 in 80 at-bats against lefties.

Thomson said last week it was “hard to say” if Hays will slide back into the role of everyday left fielder once he’s activated from the injured list. He hasn’t played since Sept. 1.

Right-hander Spencer Turnbull (shoulder) also came out of his Lehigh Valley rehab assignment feeling good, according to Thomson. The next step for Turnbull is to throw a batting practice session on Friday, although the Phillies haven’t decided where that will take place.

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The Phillies haven’t announced who will pitch in the fifth starter spot on Tuesday against Cubs left-hander Justin Steele (5-5, 3.03 ERA). Thomson said previously that he will likely rely heavily on his long relievers, and that he expects Taijuan Walker to be involved in some capacity. Tuesday will mark the final time the fifth starter comes up in the rotation this year. The Phillies will only need four starters in the postseason.