The Phillies pieced together three straight comeback victories on the road this week to defeat a young and talented Washington Nationals team.

Worth noting: Philadelphia secured two of the three wins without Kyle Schwarber, who sat out Tuesday and Wednesday with lower back tightness.

After dropping the series opener on Monday, the Phillies responded by doing something championship-caliber teams often do: finding different ways to win.

On Tuesday, it was an eight-run ninth inning, erasing a two-run deficit.

Down to their final strike, Brandon Marsh’s 11th home run of the season evened the score. A few batters later, Bryson Stott continued his hot streak with a three-run homer, his seventh of the season, giving the Phillies an unlikely lead.

And they still weren’t done. Edmundo Sosa scored two more on a double and Trea Turner — the one who began the two-out rally — singled to score the final Phillies run, a newly minted six-run lead that would be more than enough to secure the win.

The following night, and down to their final strike (again), Derek Hill flipped the script with a two-run shot to take the Phillies from down one to up one. Seth Johnson would go on to record the save in a 5-4 Phillies win.

Thursday’s series finale saw Cy Young contender Cristopher Sánchez take the mound; usually an indication of a likely win for the Phils. Paradoxically, Sánchez allowed five earned runs in his outing, raising his season ERA to 2.13.

Philadelphia’s offense would have its starters back, inching its way to a 5-5 tie by the seventh inning. Marsh’s third home run of the series got the scoring started in the sixth, and three more runs in the seventh equalized the contest; all leading to another ninth-inning outburst.

Bryce Harper’s 18th home run of the season served as the winning hit, providing a late two-run lead. J.T. Realmuto added a RBI double for insurance, and Hill concluded matters with a home run, his sixth of the season and second in as many games. The Phillies would go on to win the game 10-5, exposing the worst bullpen in MLB with a series win consisting of strictly comeback wins.

While several of the Phillies’ likely All-Stars delivered in key moments throughout the series, the victories were also fueled by contributions throughout the lineup. That balanced offensive attack makes them especially dangerous when games tighten in the middle and late innings.

Just as encouraging was the bullpen’s work after the comeback efforts began. Once Philadelphia reclaimed the lead, the relief corps consistently protected it, allowing the offense’s late-game heroics to stand.

The wins also showcased an important characteristic as the calendar approaches July:

Teams rarely play perfect baseball over a 162-game season, but the best consistently avoid letting one loss snowball into several. After stumbling in game one, Philadelphia quickly regained its footing and left the series with three consecutive wins.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Phillies once again proved they’re never truly out of a game until the final out is recorded. And over three straight comeback victories, that resilience was the difference between a disappointing series loss and another step forward in a tightly contested National League race.

Up next, the Phillies will go to Queens to face the New York Mets for a three-game weekend series. There was no shortage of excitement when these teams met last weekend, and the Phillies will look to stifle a struggling team that just announced the firing of their manager, while also narrowing their gaze on the Atlanta Braves, leaders of the NL East by only four games.

Down, not out.

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The formula for short and long-term Phillies success is not complicated — it is centered around a few superstars.

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber put on a show at Citizens Bank Park over the weekend, showcasing a similar level of firepower that will be on display at the annual All-Star Game in three weeks.

Harper and Schwarber reminded everyone why the Phillies’ ceiling remains as high as any club in baseball. On Saturday, Harper completed the first cycle of his career while Schwarber launched three home runs in a 15-3 dismantling of the Mets. The two combined for a feat that teammates hadn’t paired together since the 1930s.

They followed that performance on Sunday with more of the same, each homering again as the Phillies secured the series victory.

Harper came a triple shy of his second straight cycle, something that has never been achieved in Major League Baseball. Schwarber ended the weekend with a MLB-leading 29 home runs — four more than Yordan Alvarez’s AL-leading 25.

The outburst was a timely reminder that the Phillies go as their stars go. No amount of roster depth or matchup advantages can replace what Harper and Schwarber provide when they are locked in. Harper’s ability to impact the game in every facet and Schwarber’s unparalleled power give Philadelphia a margin for error few teams possess. When both are producing simultaneously, opposing pitching staffs have little room to breathe.

That reality will only become more important as the calendar turns toward October. The Phillies have enough talent throughout the roster to reach the postseason. Still, championship aspirations depend on their biggest names performing like superstars — something they haven’t done cohesively since the 2022 NL pennant.

Harper and Schwarber have consistently proven capable of carrying an offense for stretches, and their weekend against New York served as another example of what this lineup can look like when its two centerpieces are operating at full strength. When the two are on, it allows secondary bats like Alec Bohm and Bryson Stott to perform with less pressure — an intangible that matters.

Superstars supersede missing pieces, of which the Phillies have multiple.

There have not been many weekends this season when Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler have been overshadowed. Starting pitching has been paramount in the team’s success since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager. This weekend, though, despite the continued excellence of the dueling aces, the big bats stole the show.

And for a team chasing a deep postseason run, the blueprint remains simple: Strong starting pitching and a reliable bullpen matter, but the Phillies’ ultimate fortunes are tied to No. 3 and No. 12. As Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber go, so go the Phillies.

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Please follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to (⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠) and (⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

Josh and Austin break down the Phillies’ statement series win over the Mets, highlighted by Bryce Harper’s first career cycle, Kyle Schwarber’s three-home run explosion, and one of the wildest offensive performances in franchise history.

The guys discuss why Harper and Schwarber are the engine that can carry the Phillies through October, Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez continuing to anchor one of baseball’s best rotations, Don Mattingly’s decision to trust his ace in a key moment Sunday night, and why the club’s response after dropping the series opener says plenty about its championship potential.

Plus, a quick preview of the Phillies’ four-game series against the Nationals as Philadelphia looks to keep its momentum rolling.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

PHILADELPHIA — It took 74 games — nearly half the MLB regular season — for the Phillies and Mets to face off in the year 2026, and on Thursday night, they went head-to-head at Citizens Bank Park. New York won the first of 13 contests in the battle of two teams that have underachieved to varying degrees.

If you are interested in a deeper dive into this series and each team’s season to date, check out the latest Catchin’ Phils podcast for a conversation with Casey Lynn of .

For now, there are plenty of Phillies-centric storylines to satiate a baseball fan’s appetite, so let’s dive into a few of the topics I’ve been keeping an eye on in June.

Bryce Harper’s rough month

Bryce Harper entered June looking like a prototypical version of himself, but the month has exposed some troubling signs of regression at the plate.

After carrying an OPS north of .900 for much of the season, Harper’s production has cooled considerably. Over his last 15 games, he has hit just .227 with a .368 on-base percentage and .386 slugging percentage, a noticeable drop from his season-long numbers. While the walks remain and continue to support his OBP, the success rate on balls in play has been less frequent.

The underlying numbers suggest this may be more of a rough stretch than a permanent decline. Earlier in the season, Harper had made meaningful adjustments that reduced his strikeout rate and improved his results against velocity, leading to one of his best offensive starts in years.

Those gains haven’t disappeared overnight, but Harper — like all baseball players — is subject to a slump or two from time to time.

A question which can linger for the next few weeks: Will Harper be playing first base at his home stadium for the All-Star game? If he doesn’t turn it around soon, there are no guarantees.

Andrew Painter’s demotion

Andrew Painter’s return to Triple-A was the culmination of a difficult first half that never quite matched the expectations surrounding one of baseball’s premier pitching prospects.

The 23-year-old opened the season in the Phillies’ rotation, but inconsistency plagued him from the start. Over 14 appearances, including 12 starts, Painter posted a 7.06 ERA and frequently struggled to pitch deep into games. His latest outing against Miami proved to be the breaking point, as he surrendered six runs in just two innings and forced the bullpen to absorb another heavy workload.

The biggest concern wasn’t simply the results, but the quality of Painter’s stuff. The fastball that once made him one of baseball’s elite prospects has lacked the life and command that defined him before Tommy John surgery. Hitters have punished the pitch all season, and his strikeout rate has been well below league average while the home runs have piled up.

After missing two full seasons and enduring an uneven 2025 campaign in Triple-A, the organization believed he was ready for the majors, but his development proved to be less linear than hoped. Rather than allowing him to continue taking lumps in Philadelphia, the Phillies opted for a reset in Lehigh Valley, hoping he can rebuild his mechanics and confidence away from the pressure of the big leagues.

The demotion shouldn’t change Painter’s long-term outlook, at least not yet.

The hope is that time in Triple-A allows Painter to rediscover the version of himself that the organization drafted 13th overall in 2021.

Lineup configurations

Brandon Marsh batted leadoff for the first time in his four-year Phillies career on Tuesday night; a game where Philadelphia blitzed the Miami Marlins for seven runs in the first two innings. Marsh went 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBI, and a walk.

The move made sense for a few different reasons: Trea Turner was out of the lineup with a bruised hand incurred the night before on a hit-by-pitch; he has also struggled with a career-low .223 batting average.

Marsh, on the other hand, has continued to excel, ranking fifth in MLB batting average with the added bonus of a .844 OPS (the second-highest OPS of batting average leaders to Yordan Alvarez.)

Will this lineup stick? Against right-handed pitchers — and until Turner finds his swing again — perhaps. Worth noting: Turner exited last night’s game after being hit by a pitch in the calf.

The move speaks to the versatility of Marsh, but also the Phillies lineup as a whole, when secondary pieces are swinging a good bat. Alec Bohm’s recent success, for instance, allowed for Marsh to move from cleanup to leadoff without too great of a drop off in production.

Since May 1, Bohm is batting .288 with an .819 OPS. His 41 RBI on the season rank second to only Kyle Schwarber’s 43. Schwarber has 25 home runs, and Bohm has nine. All this from a player that, at one point not too long ago, had the worst qualified OPS in MLB — baseball happens fast.

Bullpen production

The Phillies’ bullpen has quietly become one of the club’s biggest strengths through the first half of the 2026 season, despite their highest-paid reliever, Brad Keller, struggling in his initial months with the team.

Keller was placed on the IL on Tuesday with “right arm tendinitis,” prompting the potential promotion of right-handers Orion Kerkering and Jonathan Bowlan.

Kerkering has gotten off to a career-year type of start, pitching to a 2.28 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 27 ⅔ innings. He has stranded nine of 12 inherited runners, a noticeable area of growth from a season ago.

Bowlan has shined in lower leverage spots since being acquired from the Kansas City Royals in a trade for Matt Strahm this off-season, and figures to get higher leverage opportunities in Keller’s absence. In his past 13 innings, Bowlan has struck out 14 and walked only one. He also eclipsed 100 mph for the first time in his life on Monday night.

The lefty-leverage spot is much more of a concern, with the extended struggles of José Alvarado, who was charged with the loss in Thursday’s loss to the Mets; and Tanner Banks, who was sent to Triple-A yesterday.

Side-arming Kyle Backhus appears to be on the mend and could see leverage opportunities when he returns from the IL in the coming weeks. It is, however, one of multiple weaknesses Dave Dombrowski could look to upgrade at the August 3 trade deadline.

Success in one run games

As of June 18, the Phillies are 14-5 in one-run games this season. Their .737 winning percentage in those contests ranks among the best marks in the National League and highlights one of the club’s biggest strengths: its ability to close out tight games.

This trend will need to continue into the season’s second half, as the Phillies look to not only maintain a NL wild card spot, but also consider the possibility of chasing down the division-leading Atlanta Braves.

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The guys talk with Casey about his journey covering the Mets and dive into New York’s up-and-down first half, what’s gone wrong, what’s gone right, potential trade-deadline needs, and whether the Mets can make a second-half push in the National League.

Plus, a full breakdown of this weekend’s Phillies-Mets showdown at Citizens Bank Park, including key matchups, X-factors, players to watch, predictions for the season series, and a discussion about their favorite memories from this storied rivalry.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

0:20 - Introduction

1:08 - Phillies vs. Marlins Recap

16:28 - Interview with Shea Hello’s Casey Lynn discussing the Mets and the upcoming series.

19:36 - Discussion on the Mets’ season performance and challenges.

33:16 - Speculations on the Mets’ strategy for the trade deadline.

55:06 - Reflections on memorable moments in the Phillies-Mets rivalry.

Can Aaron Nola still be trusted to provide quality innings down the stretch? Is the Phillies’ opener strategy helping Painter’s development? And just how much did Sánchez’s Cy Young candidacy take a hit after Sunday’s loss?

Plus, we zoom out to the bigger picture. The Phillies remain firmly in the playoff hunt, but their struggles against left-handed pitching, lack of right-handed power, and concerning run differential raise legitimate questions about their championship ceiling. With the trade deadline approaching, we discuss potential targets and what Dave Dombrowski should be willing to part with to upgrade the roster.

Finally, we preview a crucial series against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, featuring Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, and Andrew Painter on the mound. What should Phillies fans be watching for as Philadelphia looks to regain momentum?

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Plus, Andrew Painter’s rollercoaster rookie season takes another turn after back-to-back rough outings. Should the Phillies consider making a change, or is there simply no better option right now? The guys discuss Painter’s recent struggles, what’s behind them, and how the organization can help him regain consistency.

The Phillies are miraculously back in a playoff spot despite sitting 9.5 games behind Atlanta, and they’ve been playing the best baseball in the majors since Don Mattingly took over. They examine their playoff outlook and what has fueled the turnaround.

Josh and Austin also dive into encouraging signs from the right side of the lineup, as Alec Bohm continues his resurgence and Adolis García finally shows signs of life at the plate. Is it enough to stabilize the offense, or will Dave Dombrowski still need to find a right-handed bat at the trade deadline?

They also highlight Brandon Marsh’s remarkable start to the season as he continues to establish himself as one of the National League’s most consistent hitters. After Trea Turner captured the NL batting title a year ago, Marsh has put himself firmly in the conversation to make it back-to-back batting champions for the Phillies.

Finally, ESPN’s Buster Olney linked the Phillies to two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal ahead of the trade deadline. Is a blockbuster deal realistic? What would it cost? And could John Middleton’s ‘stupid money’ actually keep Skubal in Philadelphia beyond this season?

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Every fifth day, the Phillies are must-watch TV, and it’s all because of one man.

Cristopher Sánchez had not allowed a run since April 30. More than a month of scoreless baseball. Five shutout starts. 50.2 innings according to the record books (although it was unofficially 51.1 innings). Dominance.

The streak had been a bright spot in an otherwise dim season for the Phillies, who are still digging themselves out of the hole they dug in a dismal month of April.

Since Don Mattingly took over as manager on April 28, the Phillies are 23-10 (.696). Starting pitching is the paramount reason for the turnaround, as the offense continues to rank near the bottom according to most metrics.

Phillies pitching has a 3.06 ERA in that span. The team’s offense has scored 3.18 runs per game in the same time frame. Zack Wheeler’s return has helped, as has Jesus Luzardo’s improvement, and a few solid starts by Andrew Painter. But nothing compares to the run of the ace.

Across the six starts that encompassed Sánchez’s streak, the team went 5-1. The one game the Phillies lost was a 1-0 defeat to the Cleveland Guardians. Sánchez pitched eight scoreless innings that night.

All good things must — as they say — come to an end. And the streak found its end with two outs in the seventh inning of Wednesday’s contest against the San Diego Padres.

It appeared the streak would carry into the eighth. Sánchez’s pitch count was low, and his stuff had been dominant. Another scoreless frame felt like a foregone conclusion.

Then, a two-out double. Nothing Sánchez couldn’t navigate. He escaped many scares throughout the streak. A single from Jackson Merrill ended it, though. And for the moment, tied the game at 1-1.

The capacity crowd at Citizens Bank Park rose to their feet and cascaded a standing ovation that encouraged the home plate umpire, Hunter Wendelstedt, to clean the plate for a few moments. Anything that could allow the magnitude of it all to sink in a little longer.

The streak was historic. Fifth longest in MLB history. The longest scoreless streak for a left-handed pitcher in history. A franchise record — and it wasn’t especially close.

Usually, allowing a run doesn’t warrant cheers from the home crowd, but this was a memory to be savored. A feat to be appreciated. Something one generation of fans will tell the next generation about.

The Phillies won the game 3-2. Two solo home runs in the bottom of the seventh from J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber afforded Sánchez the winning side of the decision. Jhoan Duran remained perfect in save opportunities, recording his 14th.

Details will fall to the wayside; they always do.

For over a month, the streak hadn’t been a part of the story; it had been the story. And while it’s over now, Sánchez’s dominance will likely continue.

He’s one of the game’s best starting pitchers and stands at the front of a crowded National League Cy Young race.

The Phillies needed someone to lead the charge back into the chase for a playoff spot, and Sánchez continues to do just that every fifth day.

A few things to remember the streak by

Longest single-season scoreless streaks since 1893 (when the mound moved to its current distance):

1. Oral Hershiser - 59 IP (1988)

2. Don Drysdale - 58 IP (1968)

3. Walter Johnson - 55 ⅔ IP (1913)

4. Jack Coombs - 53 IP (1910)

5. Cristopher Sánchez - 50 ⅔ (2026)

*Two of the four pitchers with longer scoreless streaks played during the Dead Ball Era (before 1920).

Most consecutive batters faced without allowing a run, live-ball era:

1. Orel Hershiser - 217

2. Don Drysdale - 214

3. Cristopher Sánchez- 190

• The streak lasted 35 days, starting a few hours before Game 6 of the 76ers-Celtics first-round playoff series and ending a few minutes before Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

• Sánchez currently leads all MLB starters in innings pitched (86 ⅓), ERA (1.46), and WAR (3.6).

• In 50.2 shutout innings, Sánchez had 60 strikeouts to 30 hits allowed.

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The Phillies, a team with championship aspirations and a well-discussed window to fulfill them, are nine games back in their division and searching for a consistent identity to help them dig out of a middling first third of the MLB regular season.

A manager has been fired, shortcomings have been exposed, and inconsistencies of the past remain evident.

Here is how the team grades out one-third of the way through the season.

Offense (C-)

Without Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, this Phillies offense would receive failing marks.

Trea Turner has not upheld his end of the bargain as the leadoff hitter in front of the Phillies two big bats. He is batting .225 with a .281 on-base percentage (OBP). As a result, many of Schwarber’s 20 home runs have been solo shots — he has just 36 RBI — and there is less speed on the basepaths.

Key contributors further down the batting order have been Brandon Marsh and Bryson Stott. Marsh is batting .320, which is good for third in MLB. Stott has recorded the second most RBI in May with 20, and despite a rough first month of the season, has his batting average up to .239 as he continues to see more at-bats against lefty starters under manager Don Mattingly.

Struggling bats include right fielder Adolis Garcia, who was signed as a one-year, $10 million reclamation project in the offseason. His OPS of .607 would stand as the worst in his career by over 50 points.

Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa continue to struggle, particularly against lefties, where the Phillies as a unit have been the worst offense in the majors by OPS metrics. Sosa, in particular, has regressed from a .895 OPS against lefties in 2025 to .656 in 2026.

Defense (B)

The Phillies defense has been passable, and maybe, even improved from last season, especially in the outfield.

While Adolis Garcia’s bat has struggled, his defensive presence in right field is a noticeable upgrade from Nick Castellanos. Garcia grades out as a +3 in outs above average (OAA) this season; Castellanos was a -12 last season.

Justin Crawford’s athleticism has saved him from some bad reads in centerfield, where he has been an above-replacement-level player at a position that the Phillies have been devoid of talent at for years.

Bryson Stott headlines the infield as one of the best defensive second basemen in the league, with a +4 OAA.

After an improved defensive season at shortstop, Trea Turner has struggled with six errors. It may be a sign that his offensive inefficiencies have seeped into the field. He is still an improved defensive player from a few seasons ago, when in 2023 he committed 23 errors.

Starting Rotation (B+)

Any rotation headlined by Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler is likely to grade out well. In this instance, the inconsistency of the backend of the pitching order is the only reason for something less than an “A”.

Sánchez is on an historic run. He will make his next start on Wednesday in San Diego with the opportunity to establish a new franchise record for scoreless streak. Currently at 37.2 consecutive shutout innings, Sánchez needs 3.1 more to surpass Grover Cleveland Alexander’s mark of 41 straight scoreless innings in 1911.

Zack Wheeler has surpassed expectations in his return to the rotation. He has followed Sánchez with back-to-back scoreless outings of his own.

After a rookie rough patch, Andrew Painter has found a groove. In his last three starts, he has an ERA of 3.62. Jesús Luzardo has followed a similar trajectory, allowing only two runs in his last 18 innings.

Aaron Nola has yet to turn the corner with continued command issues. His ERA currently sits at 6.04 entering Tuesday evening’s start. He has allowed 1.6 home runs per nine innings (HR9).

The Phillies will continue to rely on Nola to fill a spot in the rotation, since there are not many serviceable options in Triple-A.

Bullpen (C+)

The Phillies’ bullpen has been good, with room to improve.

Jhoan Duran recorded his 100th career save in Monday’s win over the Padres; he is 10-for-10 in save opportunities this season.

As a unit, the bullpen is averaging 9.84 strikeouts per nine innings, one of the best marks in the league. Premier offseason addition, Brad Keller, has been shaky at times; he has a WHIP of 1.103 but maintains a respectable 3.57 ERA.

The important component for the Phillies will be to solidify a reliable lefty for high-leverage situations. Jose Alvarado has seen a heavy workload and largely struggled (6.11 ERA), and one of last season’s most reliable options out of the pen, Tanner Banks, has also struggled with a 6.41 ERA and a WHIP above two.

All the pieces are there for this to be a top-performing bullpen, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Bench (F)

The failing grade signifies that this should be the greatest concern of this Phillies team. The 26-man roster contains three catchers, a sign that there aren’t many other viable options.

Past seasons saw Rob Thomson platooning at multiple positions: one to two spots in the outfield, and maybe even an infield position. As the roster is currently constructed, that strategy would be ill-advised for now-manager Don Mattingly.

Brandon Marsh has firmly solidified himself as an everyday outfielder. The mix of either Otto Kemp or Felix Reyes has been unproductive, providing no competition to Justin Crawford. Edmundo Sosa has been outplayed by both Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm, and ekes out playing time when an off-day is needed by one of the regulars.

The Phillies will be in the market for a right-handed bench bat to fill the void at the trade deadline, but options are limited league-wide, and their low-ranking farm system won’t allow them to be top-bidders for best available options.

As the trade deadline still sits two months away, team success will be largely a matter of the health and productivity of the eight regular position players.

Manager/Coaching Staff (B)

A manager can only do so much, especially when players aren’t performing. When Rob Thomson was relieved of his duties on April 28, it was clear that the responsibility fell on the players and that any semblance of a turnaround would rely upon their improvement.

Since Don Mattingly took over, the Phillies are 18-8. Their rise back to a .500 record happened faster than any team not named the 2001 Oakland Athletics.

Mattingly’s approach as manager has been a subtle detour from the approach of Thomson: maybe they are more aggressive on the base paths. Mattingly is a touch quicker to pull a struggling pitcher or opt for a pinch-hitter to negate a matchup disadvantage.

For the most part, it feels the same. The primary difference? The players are performing better. It is that simple, and will continue to be as such.

They have dug themselves out of an early hole, and as Memorial Day fades and summer seeps into the psyche, there is still work to be done.

If you enjoyed this article, check out the latest episode of Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast, where and I discuss, in further detail, our grades through the first two months of the season.

Josh and Austin hand out grades for every part of the roster — offense, defense, starting pitching, bullpen, bench, and coaching — and take a hard look at where things stand through the first two months of the season. Who’s carrying their weight, who’s slipping, and what needs to change as the summer heats up?

On the mound, it’s been nothing short of dominant. Cristopher Sánchez is in the middle of a historic run — 37 ⅔ straight scoreless innings, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind Grover Cleveland Alexander — paired with four straight shutout performances. Meanwhile, Zack Wheeler has been just as locked in, allowing one earned run over his last 20⅓ innings. Combined, they’ve powered a staggering 51 consecutive scoreless innings.

But while the pitching has been elite, the offense has hit a wall.

The guys discuss a frustrating six-game stretch at Citizens Bank Park, during which the Phillies were outscored 21–14 and dropped two straight series. The bats went ice cold, slashing just .174/.256/.303 against the Reds and Guardians — with limited power and too many empty at-bats. The absence of Kyle Schwarber due to illness loomed large, and even the stars struggled, including Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, and J.T. Realmuto. There were a couple of bright spots, though — Bryson Stott led the way with a .959 OPS over the stretch, and Alec Bohm chipped in with a pair of home runs.

So, where does that leave this team heading into June? They’ve got grades, takes, and plenty to debate.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

The episode highlights a wild 11-9 extra-innings comeback win, back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2022, and total dominance from Cristopher Sánchez — who may have officially entered the Cy Young conversation after three straight scoreless outings. They also discuss Zack Wheeler’s continued excellence after successfully outdueling Paul Skenes, Alec Bohm’s red-hot hitting streak, and lingering concerns with the back end of the rotation.

Plus, the guys cover recent roster moves, including Otto Kemp’s call-up, the Phillies’ interest in Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, and preview a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park against the Reds — including pitching matchups and players to watch like JJ Bleday and Chase Burns.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

It is different seeing Don Mattingly, the longtime New York Yankees first baseman and manager of two other clubs, answering the questions of reporters before and after games.

This era of Phillies baseball has been guided by the calm demeanor of Rob Thomson, and while Mattingly’s tone doesn’t represent a drastic shift, there is a newness to it.

After nearly a month, the results of the managerial change are evident. The team is rebounding from a horrid April, and slow individual starts have ticked upward. The why and how are still unclear, but the what is of primary importance.

Here are a few observations of the recent turnaround — and while they are not all directly tied to Mattingly’s impact, they surely tell the story of the team’s improvement.

#1. Zack Wheeler is back

Wheeler’s presence alone makes a difference for this Phillies team. He is steady on the mound, which cannot be said of all members of the starting rotation.

In four starts, Wheeler has pieced together 24.2 innings pitched, a 2.55 ERA, and 22 strikeouts to only six walks. He gives the team a chance to win every fifth day.

On Sunday afternoon, baseball fans will get a premier pitching matchup between Wheeler and reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. The story for much of the offseason revolved around what percentage of Zack Wheeler the Phillies would get this season. So far, the results are good and getting better.

#2. The offense is good again

The Phillies’ offense was putrid in the season’s first month, ranking in the bottom third of all major categories. Since April 28, they rank fifth in batting average (.258), second in home runs (23), and sixth in OPS (.752).

In April, it felt that a deficit late in games was insurmountable. Friday night in Pittsburgh, they rallied from down 6-0 to win in extra innings against a good Pirates team -- posting 11 runs in the process. This is the Phillies firepower that fans have become accustomed to in recent 90+ win seasons, and by all accounts, the momentum will continue into the summer.

#3. Bryce Harper is as elite as ever

Harper’s season slash line is currently on par — if not better than — his career averages: .282/.372/.535. His 11 home runs through 45 games put him on pace for 37 homers on the season, which would be the second most in his career and surpass his best season in a Phillies uniform (35 in 2019 and 2021).

#4. Cristopher Sánchez has been dominant

Following his complete game shutout on Saturday afternoon, Sánchez has thrown 29.2 consecutive scoreless innings. The win over the Pirates marked his second career complete game shutout, and his 13 strikeouts established a new career high.

Sánchez’s season ERA is now 1.82.

#5. Run differential

At its worst, the Phillies’ run differential was -51. Only eight teams in MLB history have ever made the playoffs with a negative run differential, and across a six-month baseball season, that singular number is often positively correlated with the quality of a team.

In the 18-game span since Mattingly took over, they have cut that differential in half, as it currently sits at -23 following the 6-0 victory over the Pirates on Saturday afternoon.

It’s reasonable to believe that by the end of June, the Phillies will once again be in the positive.

#6. Brandon Marsh is an everyday player

Under Mattingly, Marsh rid himself of the designation as a platoon player that he has held throughout his Phillies tenure.

The numbers support the decision, as Marsh currently ranks fourth in MLB batting average (.331) and has been one of the team’s most consistent performers dating back to his return from injury last May.

Against left-handed pitching this season, Marsh is batting .258 with a .617 OPS.

While these numbers may warrant a platoon on some rosters, with no legitimate right-handed outfield talent in the organization — Felix Reyes has not been entrusted in a full-time platoon role, and Otto Kemp is still with Triple-A Lehigh Valley — it makes sense to give Marsh a run as an everyday player.

#7. Error-free defense

Since the managerial change, the Phillies have only committed three defensive errors in 18 games. Before the change, they had committed 19 errors in the season’s first 28 games.

#8. Alec Bohm’s reset

Mattingly expressed supreme confidence in a struggling Alec Bohm last week, as the third baseman sat on the bench for two consecutive games.

“He’s going to hit, and I believe that until the day I’m not on this earth that he’s going to hit. And we’re going to need him to be himself. He’s going to get a lot of big hits for us. You guys are going to forget what happened in May when he’s hitting down the stretch and driving in runs. He’s part of our club. He’s going to be a part of it. And he’s going to hit.”

It was labeled as a full reset. Bohm was asked to avoid picking up a bat on the first day. On Saturday, he rejoined the lineup and hit two home runs. He has since surpassed the Mendoza line to reach a .201 batting average.

This moment offered a glimpse into Mattingly’s managerial approach: trust your players, but also don’t hesitate to allow them to take a step back when need be.

#9. Kyle Schwarber’s home run pace

Even by his standard, Schwarber is slugging at an impressive rate early in the 2026 campaign.

He is the first player in 20 years to hit 20 home runs in 45 games, and only the tenth player to do so in MLB history. Here’s how it breaks down:

May 15 marks the earliest point that Schwarber has hit his 20th homer, surpassing his previous mark of June 7 from last year. The chase for Ryan Howard’s franchise record of 57 homers is very much on -- and that may just be the start of where he will rank in the history books by season’s end.

#10. Back to .500

The Phillies low-water mark was 10 games behind .500 on the day of Thomson’s firing. They have since rebounded to reach an even record (23-23) and currently sit four games back of the final wild card spot.

Many things have to go right for a team to recover from a month like the Phillies had in April. It has taken a collective effort, but as the season nears June, they are very much in the National League mix.

Despite an ice-cold offense that scored just five runs and hit .173 in Boston, the Phillies leaned on dominant pitching performances from Zack Wheeler, Jesús Luzardo, and the bullpen to take two of three from the Sox. The guys discuss Kyle Schwarber’s historic home run pace, Bryson Stott continuing to come through in big spots, Brandon Marsh’s hitting streak ending, and an encouraging outing from top prospect Andrew Painter.

Plus, they preview a weekend set in Pittsburgh against the surging Pirates, including a marquee Zack Wheeler vs. Paul Skenes matchup on Sunday, and which Bucs could give the Phillies problems this weekend.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

Josh and Austin break down another solid week for the Phillies, their fourth straight series victory, and what’s changed during this recent turnaround. From Cristopher Sánchez’s dominant stretch and Kyle Schwarber’s power surge to Brandon Marsh continuing to rake and Alec Bohm looking relaxed and refreshed, the Phillies are starting to look like a complete team again.

The guys discuss the offense’s success up and down the order, the team’s renewed aggressiveness on the bases, and why these Phillies suddenly feel like they have comeback ability again.

Plus, they recap home series victories over the A’s and Rockies, talk about Andrew Painter’s continued struggles, preview an intriguing upcoming series in Boston against the Red Sox, and a reunion with Ranger Suárez set for Thursday.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Josh and Austin start the episode by honoring the life of legendary Yankees broadcaster John Sterling, who passed away Monday at the age of 87. They break down a Phillies series that featured dominant outings from Zack Wheeler and Jesús Luzardo, continued inconsistency from Andrew Painter, and an offense that looked explosive two days and completely lost the other. From Bryson Stott’s big swings to a one-hit shutout loss, they recap a 5–1 start to the Don Mattingly era as interim manager.

The guys also dive into Justin Crawford’s recent surge, bullpen concerns, and what to make of a Phillies team that’s finally winning games—but still searching for consistency on the mound across the board.

Plus, a look ahead to a tough matchup with the AL West Division-leading A’s and what the Phillies need to prove against a first-place team.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The guys deep-dive into a successful home series against the San Francisco Giants that saw the Phillies notch their first sweep of the season, highlighted by a doubleheader with two walk-off wins.

Is the Phillies’ season still very much alive? We each have our thoughts!

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠.

April has mercifully come and gone. It saw the Phillies go 10-16 and become bottom dwellers in the National League. They fired their manager of almost four calendar years, and were rejected by their first choice as his replacement.

A lot can happen in a month, clearly.

But the flip side is also true: a lot can happen in a month. And the Phillies enter May with a new manager, Don Mattingly, and some momentum after sweeping a series against the San Francisco Giants. It’s not much, but series wins are what it will take for this team to get where they want to be. Cross this one off the list.

In game one of the series, played the same day that former manager Rob Thomson was relieved of his duties, the Phillies pieced it all together. Seven shutout innings from Jesús Luzardo and an offensive outburst (by Phillies standards) of seven runs. On a day when things felt so grim, the on-field performance gave fans something to cheer about.

Game two, played one day late after a postponement on Wednesday, was more closely contested. The Giants led 3-2 into the ninth. Adolis García singled to begin the inning, followed by a Brandon Marsh strikeout. One of the lowest-performing offensive players through the first month of the season stepped to the plate in the form of Bryson Stott. Entering play with a .530 OPS, Stott desperately needed a moment to flip the script.

Stott sold out on a full count fastball, lining it inside the right field foul line. Garcia easily tied the game from first as Stott slid into third with his second triple of the year. One pitch later, after a routine groundout by Edmundo Sosa, the Phillies needed one more act of heroism with two outs and the winning run 90 feet away.

Flash back to how the month began: Justin Crawford hitting his first career walk-off against the Washington Nationals.

On the final day of April, Crawford found himself in a similar position and produced another winning result, this time by beating out a slow rolling ground ball. Clutch hitting — something the Phillies have been deprived of through the season’s first month — won the series, and the first of two Thursday games.

The theatrics would carry into the series finale a few hours later.

Trailing once more by a single run in the final frame, the Phillies’ situational hitting would scratch out the sweep with a second walk-off.

Marsh led off the ninth with a double and would find himself standing on third with two outs. Kyle Schwarber, who already had two home runs on the day, worked a full count before doubling down the same right field line that Stott tripled down a few hours prior. The game was tied. The Phillies would not die.

After Don Mattingly decided to throw a bullpen game rather than going with the originally planned starter, Andrew Painter, for game two, the team was short on viable arms in extra innings. It meant that the game one winner, Chase Shugart would return to the mound for a second outing.

Shugart ran into trouble quickly by allowing a leadoff single that should have scored the Giants’ ghost runner, but instead only moved him to third. The margin for error in holding the tie became razor-thin, and yet, Shugart escaped with an even score intact, thanks to two strikeouts and an excellent defensive play by another struggling Phillie, Alec Bohm.

Bohm’s diving grab saved the inning defensively in the top half of the tenth, and as the sport of baseball often does, the moment found him at the plate with an opportunity to score the winning run moments later. After sitting out game one of the doubleheader, Bohm re-entered the lineup with a .157 batting average and the second-worst OPS in baseball among qualified hitters at .444.

Defense can instill confidence in a player, but sometimes the contribution must be tangible on the scoresheet — and for Bohm, it would be.

A hard hit fly ball to deep center would easily score the winning run, and the Phillies could celebrate their second walk-off of the day. They had swept the Giants and begun Mattingly’s tenure as manager with a 3-0 record.

One good day of baseball can’t undo a horrid month that included a 10-game losing streak, but it’s a start. The Phillies won two games on Thursday and now move to six games out of a wild-card spot in the NL. A surprisingly small margin given how bad they had been.

A managerial change doesn’t always represent a flaw of strategy, or that the previous manager’s message had been lost in the locker room; sometimes it is simply the button that must be pressed to kickstart a turnaround.

Maybe that’s what the day represented.

The offense remains wildly inconsistent, the rotation that was supposed to be a strength is unraveling, and frustration is starting to boil over in all phases of the game. While Rob Thomson is taking more heat than ever, the bigger question might be whether a managerial change would actually fix anything — or if it just masks deeper roster issues.

He dives into the key takeaways from the Braves series, including the Phillies’ inability to sustain momentum, continued struggles with runners in scoring position, and concerning trends from key bats and arms alike.

Then, Josh previews the upcoming Giants series at Citizens Bank Park — the start of a critical stretch against three sub-.500 clubs.

Follow and leave a five-star review for Catchin’ Phils: A Phillies Podcast on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠iHeartRadio⁠⁠⁠⁠, and subscribe to Josh Liddick (⁠⁠⁠⁠Red Pinstripe Press⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Austin Myers (⁠⁠⁠⁠Phillies Perspective⁠⁠⁠⁠) on Substack to get their latest work straight to your inbox. The podcast is also streaming weekly on the Catchin’ Phils ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

For the first time since 2022, the Phillies will have a new voice leading the team. Rob Thomson was relieved of his duties, as reported Tuesday morning by The Athletic.

The Phillies have underperformed in almost every aspect of the sport: hitting, pitching, and defense. None of it has been good enough for a roster that culminates in the fourth-highest payroll in baseball at $320 million after luxury tax projections.

According to the press release, the Phillies have elevated bench coach Don Mattingly to interim manager. Third base coach Dusty Wathan has been promoted to bench coach. Anthony Contreras — who has served as manager for Triple-A Lehigh Valley since 2022 — will assume third base coach responsibilities for the Phillies.

In his time as Philadelphia’s manager, Thomson saw sustained success. He holds the highest winning percentage (.568) among Phillies managers in the modern era, and guided the team to a National League Pennant and first World Series appearance in 13 years, falling short to the Houston Astros in the 2022 Fall Classic.

President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski stated last week that a managerial change was not on the horizon and that he prefers to assess a team through a 40-game sample size. The Phillies continued to underachieve on their seven-game road trip, winning only one game, and 28 games must have sufficed.

Failure in team sports is never the fault of one person, and this is certainly true of Thomson and the Phillies. Players have not lived up to their expectations, and what appeared concerning a few weeks ago, quickly ballooned into a full-blown disaster.

When a coach or manager is fired, it signals to the team that they must be better.

It will take a lot for this Phillies team to turn their season around, but if they have anything on their side, it’s time. The MLB season is long, and rarely does a bad April constitute a death wish. Now, if a bad April turns into a similarly disappointing May? That could be a problem.

The Phillies had championship aspirations entering the season, and now, on April 28, every game matters in getting the opportunity to play in October.

Don Mattingly was announced as the interim manager “through the end of the 2026 season.” Reports surfaced shortly after Thomson’s firing that the Phillies had extended a job offer to recently fired manager Alex Cora, but he declined, citing a desire to spend time with his family.

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, it is “a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’” that Cora will be the Phillies manager, and the interim tag being placed on an experienced baseball man like Mattingly signals there may be some truth to that statement.

Mattingly has managed two teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-2015) and Miami Marlins (2016-2022). After being hired as the team’s bench coach in January, Mattingly was asked about the prospect of being an MLB manager, “I definitely don’t see myself managing again,” he said, “I don’t think I have the energy for that, honestly, at this age.”

When asked about the statement before his first game as interim manager, Mattingly backtracked, stating that he didn’t want to give the impression he was coming to Philadelphia to take Thomson’s job. The circumstances led to that reality.

In their first game under Mattingly, the Phillies thumped the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Ballpark, 7-0. It was one of the rare occasions this season that they performed on par with expectations.

If the team improves to turn their season around, it will not be an indictment on Thomson. Rather, it will signal that the players needed more time, and perhaps, a wake-up call that they had to be better — and fast.

Will it be a long summer or a memorable one for this Phillies team?

A managerial change does not absolve Dombrowski of questionable roster construction. Most of the faces in the clubhouse are the same as years past. And in years past, they have been a playoff team — one of the best in the league, at that.

The attention now shifts to the players. Will their performance improve?

A winnable stretch of games awaits, and they are off to a fine start. Now comes the hard part: doing it again tomorrow.

CHICAGO — Tuesday night felt like the right time to turn things around for a Phillies club that had lost a week’s worth of games.

The contest was low scoring — of benefit to a struggling offense — and up for grabs into the seventh inning. With the Cubs leading 3-1, Nico Hoerner launched a solo shot to left field to add a run to their advantage. Two batters later, Seiya Suzuki bested Hoerner’s home run with a homer that left the friendly confines.

The Cubs led 6-1, and no one who has watched this Phillies team over the first few weeks believed they could mount a comeback.

Further opportunities to win a ballgame came Thursday afternoon when the Phillies’ offense finally pieced together quality at-bats. The effort would not result in an addition to the win column, however, and instead, they will go to Atlanta having lost nine straight games.

Outcomes will always be measured against expectations, and this Phillies team has underperformed far below what had been expected. Currently, they are the worst team in the National League.

Here are a few numbers that paint the picture.

.218: The Phillies batting average

According to The Athletic, only four teams in the last 128 years have had a lower batting average through 22 games. It’s the franchise’s lowest mark since 1970.

Of players who see plate appearances regularly, here are some of the worst performers based on batting average:

• Rafael Marchan (32 plate appearances) - 0.65

• Alec Bohm (88 plate appearances) - .128

• Bryson Stott (67 plate appearances) - .210

*Updated before Wednesday’s contest against the Cubs

It’s worth noting that for Bohm and Stott, these numbers represent a regression on what have been disappointing numbers in recent seasons.

For the Phillies to take a step forward this year, they need better production from their third and second baseman. Instead, they have been some of the worst offensive performers in the league.

5.34: Starting pitcher ERA

Even in the absence of Zack Wheeler, this Phillies rotation was labeled as a top-10 starting staff. Instead, they are ranked 27th in the league according to ERA, a metric that is all the more concerning given the team’s poor offensive production.

Jesús Luzardo has been, perhaps, the most disappointing fixture, coming off his five-year contract extension and best season of his career. Luzardo has struggled to go deep into games, as evidenced by his 100 pitches in 4.2 innings pitched against the Cubs on Tuesday evening. He navigated traffic all night, due to five hits and four walks allowed. And while only one run was earned in that time, it did no favors for a bullpen that had already been overworked. Eventually, the Cubs broke through and took advantage of their opportunities.

Given the struggles of their rotation, Wheeler will be a welcome addition, but represents more of a last hope than a savior. The onus is more so on Luzardo and Aaron Nola to reinforce what has been one of the league’s worst starting staffs.

Ace of the group, Cristopher Sánchez, has also struggled in recent outings. He allowed 12 hits and six earned runs on Thursday afternoon, and has yet to pitch into the seventh inning in a game this season.

39: Strikeouts with RISP

Phillies batters have struck out an MLB-leading 39 times with runners in scoring position (RISP) this season, despite the team having 11 fewer at-bats (169) than the second-lowest number of 180 (Yankees).

According to Baseball Savant, the Phillies are in the bottom 7% in MLB barrel % metrics at 6.5% (league average: 8.3%) across all plate appearances, and second to only the Mets (54) in RBI with RISP at 56.

The largest concern for the Phillies’ struggling offense is not the top-three hitters of Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper. It is the dearth of production from the remainder of the lineup, and especially at the cleanup spot.

Through 25 games, the Phillies have used four different cleanup hitters, with the latest being Felix Reyes, a rookie who has only played 24 Triple-A games before being called up last week.

-50: Run differential

Entering play on Wednesday, the Phillies possessed an MLB-worst run differential, and it’s not close. Second worst are the Royals with a -35 run differential.

Statistics don’t summarize a team’s struggles much better than run differential. In the case of the Phillies, when they win, it’s close — take their closer, Jhoan Duran, having already recorded five saves in the team’s eight wins — and when they lose, it’s by a lot.

History is very clear when referencing the success of teams with a negative run differential. Only twelve teams in MLB history have made the playoffs after being outscored in the regular season, and four of those twelve came in a shortened season.

Eight teams in the history of baseball have made the playoffs after recording a negative run differential across a 162-game season. Most astonishingly were the 2023 Miami Marlins, who earned the second NL wild card spot with a run differential of -57.

The Phillies have dug themselves a hole, indeed.

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