Union in catbird seat in playoff race

CHESTER >> The Philadelphia Union are in an unusual position with three games left in the 2016 season.

Yes, a spot in the thick of the playoff picture is part of it. But MLS’s parity-bydesign means that with 25 days left in the marathon slate, all 20 teams possess some non-zero chance of making the postseason.

More unusual is the position of power in which the Union sit: They are the chased, not the chasers, which is as refreshing a change as any.

“It’s a better place to be, I can tell you that,” manager Jim Curtin said Wednesday.

That last few seasons have been couched in caveats — if the Union can rattle off a few straight wins, if everyone else can stay in place while they play catch up. But this season, the Union (11-11-9, 42 points), just have to keep doing what they’ve done all season to clinch a playoff spot … and maybe not even that with the enduring mediocrity of the Eastern Conference.

It’s telling that the discussion for weeks has shifted from qualifying for the playoffs to securing a top-four spot and the accompanying home Wild Card game. The Union’s playoff scenarios will be clarified by three games late Wednesday featuring five Eastern teams, four of whom trail the Union in the standings. A win by the Union Saturday at Red Bull Arena (7 p.m., TCN) would almost certainly clinch the playoffs, and the Union nurse a four-point edge on Montreal for fourth.

With home dates against eighth-place Orlando City and the first-place Red Bulls looming to cap the season, the Union have long known that protecting home field secures their strong position.

“It’s certainly realistic to get into the top three for the simple fact that we play Red Bull twice, so you control your own destiny in that regard,” Curtin said. “… We do know that we’re in a good spot. We’ve earned all the points that we’ve got.”

Two games against the Red Bulls certainly brings no guarantee of points, but it’s way better than the alternative suffered through in past seasons.

••• Josh Yaro passed his final concussion protocols Wednesday morning and participated fully, Curtin said, paving the way for the rookie to return. Yaro, who sustained the concussion two weeks ago against Portland in a game where he was red-carded, did non-contact training Tuesday.

Yaro could find his path back to the field impeded by Ken Tribbett, who Curtin recognized as deputizing ably in the 1-1 draw with Toronto last Saturday.

Ilsinho received an injection to ease the pain of plantar fasciitis that continues to limit him, though he’s appeared as a substitute in each of the Union’s last four games. Pain tolerance remains an issue, particularly when the Brazilian winger “has to open up and run” long distances, but he’s symptom-free for actions in close quarters.

Tranquillo Barnetta, who missed the Toronto trip with knee inflammation, trained partially sporting a knee brace. The Swiss midfielder, who Tuesday announced he’ll be leaving at season’s end to return to his first club FC St. Gallen, took part in technical drills and some full-field tactical work before pulling back toward the end of the session. Curtin expects Barnetta “to play some part” against New York.

Curtin is also optimistic on Maurice Edu, who traveled with to Toronto and made the bench for the first time all season. They’re building his fitness base and monitoring his level of expenditure in practice, which still lags behind the fitter players at his position, but he’s progressing.

“He continues to cover more and more ground each training session,” Curtin said. “We monitor that. He’s getting up closer to the number that we want him to get to each day.”