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  • Phillies Offseason Predictions – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Phillies

    Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    The dust has settled on the 2025 MLB season with the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrating back-to-back World Series Championships just like everyone expected. With the 2025 season in the rearview mirror, the attention turns to the offseason. One that might be the most pivotal offseason this franchise has had since they signed Bryce Harper in 2019.

    Who’s Back, Who’s Gone

    Right off the bat, it’s very easy to say the Phillies’ top priority is Kyle Schwarber, which I completely agree with. I would love to see Schwarber finish his career in a Phillies uniform, especially after the season he put together last year. As great as his play is on the field, he’s an amazing clubhouse guy, which is another reason why I think the Phillies must re-sign him. It’s going to leave a bad taste in a lot of fans’ mouths if the Phillies don’t offer Schwarber.

    While Schwarber is priority number one, resigning JT Realmuto would be my number two. I think JT should finish his career with the Phillies, and to me, it makes too much sense. He had a great offensive season, considering how slow he started out of the gate. He is familiar with our pitching staff, and I have never heard any of the pitchers he’s worked with complain about how he handles things. Realmuto is still a top catcher in the league despite his age, and there aren’t many other options to replace JT. The key replacement would be trying to trade for Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles, but I would much rather the Phillies resign JT and not give up any assets.

    Harrison Bader, I would love to have back, but I’m not sure where he would fit. If we could sign him for a year or two, I don’t mind Bader being a nice bridge player until top prospect Justin Crawford gets settled at the major league level. Bader would be a great mentor for Crawford during his first few years at the major league level.

    In terms of who’s gone, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Nick Castellanos traded along with Johan Rojas and possibly even Alec Bohm. Castellanos is the one most likely to be moved, especially with how things were handled with him the last few months of the season. Ever since his incident with Rob Thomson, it’s been painfully obvious that the Phillies want to try and move him.

    Rojas has become expendable with the emergence of prospect Justin Crawford, who should definitely be on the Phillies’ opening day roster as their centerfielder. Crawford hit .334 in Triple-A last season and played above-average defense in centerfield. Mix in 46 stolen bases, and you now have a better version of Johan Rojas in centerfield.

    Alex Bohm could be in a similar situation; however, I don’t know if they will cut ties with him just yet. Top prospect Aidan Miller is still only 21 years old, but he put together a strong season across Double-A and Triple-A last season. Miller broke the Reading Fightin Phils record for most stolen bases in a season with 52. If the Phillies move Bohm, I definitely expect Aidan Miller to be with the big league club this season. Unless Miller puts together an incredible spring, I do expect him to start the season in Triple-A. That means the Phillies would need to try and find a bridge third baseman until Miller is ready. Nolan Arenado is a name to watch if they do end up trading Bohm. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Phillies went with Bohm to start the season and then moved him in the middle of the year if Miller is ready and performing.

    Pitching

    In terms of the pitching, getting Zach Wheeler back healthy is the most important thing for this team. The development of Andrew Painter will be something to monitor as well. Ranger Suarez is the big decision this front office will have to make. His performance has statistically tailed off in the second half of the season, and staying healthy has been a struggle. I’m hesitant to throw money at someone who has struggled to stay healthy. It’s going to be an extremely important decision and one that takes a few years to develop before we decide if it was the right move. It all comes down to money, whether they want to give Suarez the contract he deserves.

    If Suarez returns, the Phillies’ rotation will be poised to be a top rotation in baseball again. Christopher Sanchez was your NL Cy Young runner-up after Paul Skenes took home the award last week, which is an incredible accomplishment for Sanchez. A pitcher the Phillies acquired in a trade from the Rays a few years back has turned into a Diamond in the rough. If Wheeler comes back healthy, Aaron Nola bounces back, and Jesus Luzardo builds off of last year’s strong season, then the Phillies could no doubt have the best rotation in baseball.

    Winter Meetings

    Most action won’t start happening until the week of the MLB Winter Meetings, which will occur from December 7-10. That is when the owners and managers will get to work on building their ballclubs for the 2026 season, as everyone has a fresh start for a World Series run.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Aidan Miller Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Jesus Luzardo Kyle Schwarber MLB Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Stay or Go – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Phillies

    Phillies President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski on his phone during batting practice before the Phillies play the San Diego Padres in game two of the National League Championship Series at Petco Park in San Diego on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

    With the 2025 Phillies season over we look toward next year. The World Series was played in the NLDS and the Phillies are still on the cusp of a World Series after a few years of playoff disappointment. Let’s take a look at who should stay or go for the Phillies next season.

    Stay

    JT Realmuto  

    He is the best catcher on the market. He is vital to our pitching staff. Look at the growth of Wheeler, Suarez, and Sanchez. Caleb Cotham is phenomenal but JT deserves a lot of credit too.

    For as much as people complained about his regular season hitting, JT actually showed up in the playoffs, hitting .353 with 6 hits including a home run. So spare me age or whatever reason you come up with to not re-sign him. The guy is still a really good ball player. The bigger issue is how much we rely on JT to knock in runs. If the offense can add more production you don’t have to rely on JT to carry the load.

    Kyle Schwarber

    He has got to stay. The lineup would be worse off without him. You can say what you want about his performance in the playoffs, but game 3 shows how important he is to the team. The second he homered everything got going. I am not sure fans realize how much this team would have struggled without his 56 home runs and 132 rbis. You cannot replace that. Pay him whatever he would like.

    Ranger Suarez

    The loss of Ranger Suarez feels inevitable. Andrew Painter should be added to the rotation, but there is still a spot for Ranger. Wheeler is not going to be healthy to start the season and who knows how his recovery will go. A rotation of Sanchez, Luzardo, Suarez, Nola, and Painter is still nasty. Ranger will come at a high cost, but with no salary cap I don’t see any reason for him to leave other than Middleton avoiding a tax. 

    Let’s not forget Ranger has been deadly in the playoffs and Toppers failure to use him in game 1 is a huge reason they lost the series. Ranger needs to be a Phillie next season, even though the feeling is he won’t be.

    Justin Crawford

    Crawford should be on this roster. He will add youth and speed to this team. I think he should have been called up in the second half of last season, but the Phillies decided against it. Since he didn’t get an opportunity last season, it will be interesting to see how productive Crawford will be for the Phillies. The teams biggest mix up this offseason will likely be in the outfield. I would love to see Crawford start in left or center for the Phillies.

    Jose Alvarado

    Alvarado is a really interesting case for the Phillies. He has been one of our better relievers the past couple seasons, but a PED suspension kept him out for most of the season and the playoffs. Alvarado has a $9 million dollar player option, which makes sense for the Phillies to pick up. It is not anything too expensive and they need a left handed arm. I think he stays but feel indifferent on his status.

    Go

    Alec Bohm

    The team needs to move on from Bohm. He just isn’t it. Doesn’t hit for average, doesn’t hit for power, isn’t a great fielder but also isn’t a bad one, and offers nothing on the basepaths. 

    For being 6’5” he severely lacks in power which hurts the lineup (and top 3 hitters) as a whole. You expect your 3rd baseman to have some power, but the Phillies have not gotten that. They do not have a true 4 hole hitter and I would like to see them fill that role at 3rd base or right field. Regardless, it is time to move on from Bohm. 

    Nick Castellanos

    Castellanos has been one of the more interesting players for the Phillies the last few seasons. He is one of the most frustrating players on the team to watch. Free swinger, who gets fooled by the same sequence over and over. But at the same time, he has had many big moments at the plate and even on defense during the playoffs. Overall his hitting has been fine, but his defense is not nearly good enough. In fact, it is awful. His first step is the slowest I have seen, he leaves so many outs on the field that look like he made the correct play but in reality, he physically can’t reach the ball. A new RF is needed. Just move him, I do not care about the return. 

    Maybe Stay Maybe Go

    Bryson Stott

    Stott is an interesting case. He could fit in the same category as Bohm. A player from the “Day Care” not developing as much as we hoped. However, I feel this team has bigger holes to fill than Stott. His fielding is second to none and he makes them an infinitely better defensive team. His at bats leave a lot to be desired but having Sott hit 8th or 9th with his defense helps this team a lot. There is not a logical reason to move on from him. He should stay. 

    Harrison Bader

    Most of the fans would like to see Bader back in CF. The fit is there, but the contract will be the question. He added “something” to this team that was previously missing. Bader was a mold of hitter that fit what the team needed and played great defense; he was missed during the NLDS. Bader coming back depends on his cost, which may end up being too high for Middletown and Dombrowski, but he would make an ideal starting CF.

    Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler

    I decided to pair Kepler and Marsh together. I do not see both of these players coming back together. Throughout the season I assumed Kepler would be one and done, but he came on strong at the end of the year and had a good playoffs. Depending on the outfield options I could see them bringing back Kepler on a cheap deal. 

    I also believe the will hold onto Brandon Marsh. There seems to be a belief in the lockeroom that he can get his hitting figured out. The issue is he cannot hit lefties. So, if Marsh is on the roster next season, he may need to be paired with a right-handed bat. Marsh is an interesting piece because he is still young and has shown potential, but I feel we have seen the player that he is. The Phillies shouldn’t look to move him but if a trade package makes sense, we could see Brandon Marsh on the move.

    Photo Credit: Yong Kim/Philadelphia Inquirer

    Tags: Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryson Stott Dave Dombrowski Harrison Bader John Middleton Jose Alvarado JT Realmuto Justin Crawford Kyle Schwarber Major League Baseball Max Kepler Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Phillies Ranger Suarez

    Categorized: Phillies

    Liam Mahoney

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  • Rob Thomson Set to Return as Phillies Manager in 2026 – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    The Phillies announced on Monday that Manager Rob Thomson will be returning for the 2026 season.

    Thomson will be entering the final year of his contract, making 2026 a true make-or-break season for both Thomson and the Phillies.

    Philadelphia Heartbreak

    It’s been five days since the Phillies lost Game 4 of the NLDS in the most heartbreaking fashion you could imagine. The first series in MLB history to end on an error. Of course, it would happen to the Phillies.

    It took me all day Friday to go through the stages of grief following the loss. I was not angry at Kerkering for a miscue throw to—the. In fact, I completely understand the mental state when you first bobble a ball. Even if you knew where you were supposed to go with the ball, the second you bobble it, panic sets in, and that’s exactly what happened. I know Kerkering can be a good reliever, and I hope he bounces back next year with us.

    Different Year, Same Result

    While my sympathy was with Kerkering, my anger was directed towards Rob Thomson, the entire lineup aside from JT Realmuto, Alec Bohm, and Nick Castellanos. The big three of Turner, Schwarber, and Harper went 1-14 in the Game 4 elimination game. The third season in a row, the big guns disappeared when it mattered most. That part of it is on the players, and while Rob Thomson makes the lineup, he can’t control what pitches these guys are swinging at.

    Rob Thomson controls the bullpen and who comes in certain situations. This is part of his job; Rob Thomson has been horrible at it in the postseason. In 2023, he brought Craig Kimbrel in against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which eventually led to the Phillies blowing the lead and the series. Since that series, Rob Thomson has poorly managed the bullpen when it matters the most. It’s led to the Phillies blowing leads in multiple playoff games over the last few years, including in this year’s series. Going to Kerkering with runners on was a terrible idea from the start. 8/13 inherited runners have scored on Kerkering since August. Having him in the game in that moment was a terrible decision by Rob Thomson. Even leading up to that, one might question why we walked Ohtani in the 7th inning to load the bases? Duran would walk in a run, tying the game 1-1 after Mookie Betts worked a walk. Thomson made a few questionable decisions, but it’s not solely on him to blame.

    What Went Wrong?

    Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

    I touched on the lack of production from Turner, Schwarber, and Harper before, but it’s important to know how flat-out bad these three were in this series. Aside from the Game 3 outburst, these three underperformed when the lights were the brightest. While I still want the Phillies to re-sign Kyle Schwarber, you have to wonder if he decreased his price tag following his poor October showing. Harper and Turner need to figure out a way to make their $300 million price tags worth it come October. Harper had an incredible postseason in 2023 and 2024, but his last two postseason showings have been lackluster. You aren’t gonna win many baseball games when the highest-paid players don’t show up.

    Harrison Bader was injured with a groin injury, which also hurt the Phillies in terms of their lineup. Bader was such a spark for this team down the stretch, and his absence should not go unnoticed. I’m hoping the Phillies could bring him back, but the question is for how much and where he would play. If Bader did play his last game in a Phillies uniform, he was an incredible addition to this team, and it’s a shame he got injured when he did.

    I tip my cap to Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto, who had really strong showings at the plate in the division series. I would love to have JT back behind the plate next year, as he is set to hit free agency. If JT walks, I expect the Phillies to possibly pursue a trade with the Baltimore Orioles for catcher Adley Rutschman. Rutschman would be a nice replacement for the Phillies if Realmuto isn’t on the team next year. With that being said, I do hope JT works out a deal and hopefully ends his career as a Phillie.

    Pitching Excellence

    The starting pitching once again showed up when it mattered most, despite not having Zack Wheeler. Christopher Sanchez pitched two great games and further solidified himself as a true ace during this series. Jesus Luzardo, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suarez all pitched great throughout the series as well. The starting pitching was dominant all year, and they performed well above expectations in this series.

    Ranger Suarez is the only starting arm that is a free agent this upcoming winter. The big question is, do you pay Ranger Suarez knowing you have a replacement in Andrew Painter coming up? Suarez has been one of the best lefties in the game over the last two years, so although it would hurt to lose him, the Phillies might not be able to afford to keep him. It’s going to be very interesting to see where Suarez lands this upcoming offseason.

    Season Conclusion

    That’s officially a wrap on the Phillies’ 2025 season, as well as my first season covering the team. It was a pleasure to bring you weekly storylines and my thoughts on this ball club throughout the year. The season ended like no one could have expected, with a game-losing error. One of the main things I love about baseball is that you can shake off whatever happened in the game before and get right back at it within a day or two. But in this scenario, having to sit with this feeling all offseason is certainly going to sting.

    While some fans (including myself) are still angry with this team and the result, I can already feel the excitement and optimism of opening day 2026 when the Texas Rangers come to town. Only 163 days until The Bank is packed for Opening Day on March 26, 2026!

    One Last Weekly Prediction: The Seattle Mariners are going to be your 2025 World Series Champions.

    Tags: 2025 MLB Postseason Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Arizona Diamondbacks Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Craig Kimbrel Dodgers Harrison Bader Jesus Luzardo Jhoan Duran JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber Los Angeles Dodgers MLB MLB playoffs MLB Postseason NLDS Orion Kerkering Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Playoffs Postseason Ranger Suarez rangers Rob Thomson Texas Rangers Trea Turner

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Offense Disappears, Rob Thomson Strikes Again – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Phillies had the entire city riled up and ready for another deep postseason run after finishing 96-66 and getting a first-round bye. Everyone knew the Dodgers wouldn’t be easy, but when your top three guys refuse to show up when it matters most and your manager continues to make terrible decisions, you won’t often find yourself in a winning situation.

    To be very blunt, the 2025 Philadelphia Phillies are who we thought they were.

    Same Results, Different Year

    The Phillies are down 0-2 and would need to win three games in a row against the Dodgers, with the next two games in Los Angeles. I’m not gonna sit here and feed optimism when this team has given nothing for us to be optimistic about.

    The Phillies are 1-7 in their last eight playoff games. They refuse to work any ABs, and when they do, they end up swinging at what would be ball four most of the time. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper have disappeared. Those three in this series are 1-21. I’m gonna say that again. The top three hitters in this lineup are 1-21. I don’t care if you’re playing the Colorado Rockies, you aren’t gonna win games with the top three guys on your team going 1-21 at home in a series. The middle and bottom parts of the order haven’t been any better. This team couldn’t hit water if they fell out of a boat right now.

    No one in the order has stepped up and tried to provide a spark. Nick Castellanos had a two-run double in the 9th inning of game two that barely got me excited because I just knew the Phillies were gonna find a way to ruin the situation.

    Rob Thomson Strikes Again

    Following the double from Castellanos, Bryson Stott then bunted with 0 outs, runner at second, which resulted in Castellanos being thrown out at third. I nearly turned the game off. Bunting in that situation comes from the manager, and boy oh boy would I love to know Rob’s thought process behind this one.

    You are handcuffed because, with Bader dealing with a groin injury, you had to save a pitch runner for Bader. You can’t run for Castellanos, but Castellanos doesn’t run well, so what do you do? HAVE STOTT SWING THE BAT. THIS IS BASEBALL!

    I understand the concept of moving the runner over, but once again, Thomson’s lack of baseball feel strikes again. The crowd was finally into it, the tying run is at second with 0 outs, and you bunt into an out at third and kill any rally you had. Just to top it off, Bader would single in the next AB that would’ve likely scored Castellanos. Can’t make this stuff up.

    This 9th-inning debacle by Rob Thomson wasn’t even his worst moment of the night. Thomson decided to go with Orion Kerkering out of the bullpen first when Jesus Luzardo ran into trouble in the 7th. Luzardo pitched a gem in this game and is the only Phillie worth noting from last night. Luzardo had runners on second and third when Thomson pulled him and put in Kerkering.

    Let me remind you, Kerkering has been terrible inheriting runner all season. One look at a stat sheet and anyone who works in baseball would be able to tell you that. Everyone but Rob Thoms, apparently. He puts in Kerkering, who immediately gives up two runs after nearly getting an out at home. The Dodgers would add on, giving themselves a 4-0 lead in the 7th. Since August, Kerkering has let 8/13 inherited runners score when he comes out of the bullpen. That is not good. Going to Kerkering in that situation is a terrible decision, knowing he’s not good with runners on base. I would’ve much rather seen Strahm in that situation, who was up and warm.

    If the Phillies go to LA and lose game three, getting swept in this fashion is more than enough of a reason for the organization to have a long conversation this offseason about the players and staff on this ball club. The team has gotten better every year since 2022, and yet the results are worse and worse. At this point, players and coaches need to be held accountable.

    Heading to LA

    The Phillies will travel to Los Angeles today and play game three of the series Wednesday night at 9:08. The Dodgers will start Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA, 201 Ks), and the Phillies will start Aaron Nola (5-10, 6.01ERA, 97 Ks). As you can tell, the pitching matchup heavily leans in the Dodgers’ favor. Maybe the struggling offense will get going since they are away from home.

    The Phillies will be playing for their season Wednesday night and avoid getting swept 3-0 in embarrassing fashion.

    Tags: Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Harrison Bader Jhoan Duran JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber Max Kepler MLB Nick Castellanos NLDS Orion Kerkering Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Rob Thomson Trea Turner

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Postseason Expectations and Predictions – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    After a grueling 162-game season, the Philadelphia Phillies finished their season with a record of 96-66, good enough for the second-best record in all of Major League Baseball. They won the NL East with a 13-game lead over the New York Mets, a team that won’t be playing into October after a historic second-half collapse. The Phillies have the luxury of a first-round bye and will open the NLDS at home on October 4th against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Cincinnati Reds. The best time of year is here; nothing beats October baseball.

    Playoff Expectations

    Win the whole thing.

    The end.

    All jokes aside, this team is more than capable of delivering a World Series title to Philadelphia. The loss of Zach Wheeler is massive, and not having him throughout this postseason run will sting. However, I trust Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, and even Aaron Nola enough to hopefully get us deep into the postseason.

    Looking at the pitching first, I would say this is the best overall staff the Phillies have had in recent years. Not only are the starters great, but the bullpen, with guys like Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, and Jhoan Duran, rounds out one of the best staffs in the postseason. The last few seasons, the Phillies have lacked solid bullpen arms, and this year is the complete opposite. I feel comfortable knowing Duran is pitching in the 9th if we have a 1-2 run lead late.

    As for the offense, that will be the biggest question mark. Last postseason, the bats disappeared. This year, that simply can’t happen. This team is way too talented offensively to go through a slump this time of year. Led by Kyle Schwarber, this Phillies offense should be able to put up runs. The Phillies’ ability to weather the storm with starting pitching to get into the opponent’s bullpen will be interesting to see. They chased too much out of the zone last year, and it eliminated easy walks and ways to get guys on base. If this lineup can stay consistent and play within itself, the team can put up 5-7 runs per game in the postseason.

    Getting Trea Turner will be massive for the top of the order, especially since with Bader moving back down, it will make the lineup longer in terms of depth. Harrison Bader has been the best trade deadline acquisition Dave Dombrowski has made in recent years. His play in CF will be an integral part of a potential Phillies World Series run. The Phillies have lacked a true centerfielder over the last few playoff runs, so hopefully, Bader will be another spark for this team.

    Postseason Predictions

    Right now, I can see the Dodgers beating the Reds easily in the Wild Card round to set up a NLDS matchup with the Phillies. While the Phillies will have home-field advantage, it’s a best-of-5 series for the NLDS. Truthfully, if the Phillies play their brand of baseball, I could see the Phillies taking the series 3-2

    Next, they would face the Brewers in the NLCS, who I’m predicting will go on to beat the Padres in the NLDS 3-1. A Milwaukee Brewers vs Philadelphia Phillies NLCS with the Phillies winning 4-2 in 6 games.

    I do believe this team is good enough to make a run through the National League and win the Pennant this year. The way the Phillies played in the second half makes me highly optimistic that this team will be able to make it to the World Series.

    As for who they will play, my two guesses are the New York Yankees or the Seattle Mariners, which I know could be a shock to some people. I think the Mariners have the offense and the pitching staff that could help spark a run for them. It would be exciting to see Seattle playing in a World Series. If the Yankees end up making it, then it’s time for us to get our revenge for what happened in 2009.

    My overall prediction is the Phillies win the World Series in 6 games, and we’ll have our second championship parade of the year on Broad Street in November!!

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Harrison Bader Jhoan Duran Kyle Schwarber MLB Nick Castellanos Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

    Categorized: Phillies

    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Enter the Final Week of the Regular Season – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Last week, the Phillies clinched the NL East title, guaranteeing another year of Red October and the opportunity to play for a World Series. While winning the NL East is nice, getting a first-round bye would be amazing for a team that’s been banged up down the stretch. With six games remaining in the regular season, the Phillies look forward to closing out the season and then preparing for what is hopefully a memorable Red October run.

    Six Games Remain

    The Phillies return home this week with an off day on Monday, so they have time to settle in after the West Coast road trip. While on the road trip, the Phillies took 2/3 from the Los Angeles Dodgers, including the NL East clinching win Monday night. After the emotional series win over the Dodgers, the Phillies would lose 2/3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team fighting for that last spot in the NL Wild Card race.

    I’m not putting much stock into the series loss to the Diamondbacks because they did take the series from the Dodgers. By Sunday, I could imagine the team just wanting to return home.

    The Phillies have six games remaining in the season, all of which are at home. In fact, the Phillies have an opportunity to play at home until game 3 of the NLDS, which would be Wednesday, October 8th. That leaves 17 days in between road games for the Phillies. Something I think will help this team a lot. The Phillies have a three-game series against the Miami Marlins (76-80) and the Minnesota Twins (67-89). It’s kind of poetic that the Phillies are ending their season against the team that traded them their two most important deadline acquisitions. Harrison Bader and Jhoan Duran have been amazing for the Phillies and have certainly performed above expectations. Those six games are very winnable, but the Phillies are still three games back of the Brewers for the one seed, so they would need a miracle to secure that top seed.

    Playoff Positioning

    The Phillies will most likely finish with the two seed in the National League, which is good for the sake of the first-round bye. While some are scared about the time off during Wild Card games, this team needs to get healthy and also give the pitching staff a much-deserved rest. Trea Turner is expected to return for the last series of the season, and Alec Bohm made his return against the Diamondbacks. Bohm homered in his second game back and made his impact felt immediately. Having Bohm back in this lineup is huge, especially with runners on base. Getting Trea Turner back will be another massive boost for the offense, in hopes that he returns to the player he’s been all year. Turner was hitting .305 when he was placed on the IL a few weeks ago.

    While the top three seeds are all solidified, with the Brewers, Phillies, and Dodgers, the other three spots could all be shuffled come next week. The Chicago Cubs are 88-68 and hold the top Wild Card spot, followed by the 85-71 San Diego Padres. Those two spots are very likely to remain the Cubs and Padres. That last spot, however, is completely up for grabs. Yes, that means the New York Mets might miss the playoffs (Bummer). The Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets are both tied with the same record, 80-76, with the Reds holding a tiebreaker over the Mets. The Arizona Diamondbacks are 79-77, just one game back of that last spot. The final six games for these teams are going to be must-watch TV, so if you are a baseball fan, I suggest you tune in.

    While anything can happen in these final six games, I don’t think any Phillies fan would be opposed to the Mets not making the playoffs. The Cincinnati Reds have been a team I’ve liked all year and would be an interesting club to see make the postseason. As for the Diamondbacks, I want our revenge from 2023.

    Upcoming Week

    I expect the Phillies to hopefully win 4/6 games to close out the season. I would like them to finish strong so they go into the bye with some confidence before having to ramp it up again for postseason baseball. We are nearly one week away from the greatest time of year. Buckle up, Phillies fans.

    Prediction of the week: Alec Bohm homers twice at home this week, continuing his great performance since returning from injury.

    Oh, and the Mets miss the playoffs, and the Reds take the last spot.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Harrison Bader Jhoan Duran Kyle Schwarber Max Kepler MLB Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Trea Turner

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    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Magic Number Down To One, Clinch Postseason Berth – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Credit: John Jones/Imagn Images

    The Phillies came into last week preparing for their biggest series of the season, a four-game series against the New York Mets, with their magic sitting at 13. Since then, the Phillies would go on to sweep the Mets, take two out of three from the Kansas City Royals, and now sit just one game away from clinching the NL East for consecutive seasons. The last time the Phillies did that was in 2010-2011.

    NL East Dominance

    As of today, the Phillies are 89-61, 12 games up on the New York Mets (77-73) for first place in the NL East, which is something I didn’t expect to write this season. I truly believed the Mets would be competitive and the NL East would be close for the majority of the season. However, the Mets have played dreadful baseball in September and just snapped an eight-game losing streak yesterday.

    As for the Phillies, they are playing their best baseball of the season right now. The pitching looks great, the offense looks better despite the Phillies missing both Trea Turner and Alex Bohm this week, and the bullpen has found its rhythm. They have found different ways to win games, not just relying on the offense or pitching. Some nights, the pitching staff looks incredible when the offense doesn’t, and vice versa. This team looks like a team built to win in the postseason, and the Phillies are just 12 games away from starting another attempt at a World Series run. The Phillies head out west for six games before returning home for a six-game home stand to close out the season.

    The Phillies currently sit as the two seed in the National League but are only two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers (91-59) as the one seed. If the Phillies could clinch home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs, that would make me feel much better entering the postseason.

    Bader Leading Off

    Once the Phillies announced that Trea Turner was going on the IL, I was unsure who the Phillies would bat leadoff. In last week’s article, I discussed the potential for Stott or Bader to step into that role. In the first game, Rob Thomson went with Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot, which was questionable and rightfully so. In the next game, Rob put Bader at the leadoff spot, and it clicked. In his first game batting leadoff, Bader went 3/5 with a home run against his former team, the New York Mets. Thomson kept Bader in the leadoff spot for the remainder of the week, and boy, did it work. Bader had a great week and has had an even better start to his Phillies career. Bader has a .349 BA with a .940 OPS in 38 games played for the Phillies. Not only has he delivered offensively, but defensively, he’s been great as well. Bader has made some really impressive grabs in the outfield, and for the first time in a while, it feels like the Phillies have found their centerfielder.

    Dave Dombrowski did an incredible job this trade deadline, not only acquiring Harrison Bader but also Jhoan Duran, who has continued to pitch great for us as the closer. The Phillies added a legit CF and closer and now look like a team primed to make some noise in the postseason.

    Two Weeks Remain

    The Phillies kick off their final road trip of the season tonight, as they open up a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (84-65), a team that’s fighting to clinch the NL West. This series could also be a potential playoff matchup. The Dodgers have had a down year compared to where everyone expected them to be. Injuries have hit them hard, and the pitching isn’t what they had hoped. The Phillies always seem to play well at Dodger Stadium, so wins in 2/3 games seem likely. They have an off day on Thursday before they play a three-game weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (75-75).

    The Phillies need just one more win on the season to clinch the NL East, and I like their odds to do it tonight at 10:10 EST with Ranger Suarez on the mound.

    Weekly Predictions

    Not only do the Phillies win the NL East this week, but they also overtake the Milwaukee Brewers for the one seed in the National League.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Brandon Marsh Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Harrison Bader J.T. Realmuto JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

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    Matt Saglembeni

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  • The New York Mets Come to Town in September Division Showdown for Phillies – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Credit: John Jones/Imagn Images

    The Phillies took 2/3 from the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins last week, helping them maintain a seven-game lead in the NL East.

    The New York Mets (76-67) come to town for a four-game series that can make or break their season.

    The Phillies have an opportunity to make up for what happened in New York just a few weeks ago and bury the Mets.

    The Final Sprint

    The Phillies enter Monday night with their magic number sitting at 13 and the Mets coming to town for a four-game series. To say this series is the most important so far this season is an understatement, especially after the Phillies were swept in New York just two weeks ago. Luckily, the Phillies won’t have to deal with the horrors or parabolic microphones that Citi Field brings. They will have to deal with being without their top hitter, Trea Turner, as he is currently undergoing MRI scans on his right hamstring after he left the game early Sunday. They are unsure how serious the strain is, but it’s not ideal for the Phillies to be without their leadoff hitter for the next few games and possibly even weeks.

    If Trea does end up on the IL, I am curious who Rob Thomson will end up batting leadoff. With the year Kyle Schwarber has had, I feel like you have to keep him at the second spot in the order. I wouldn’t mind seeing Bader or even Stott bat leadoff if Trea misses an extended amount of time.

    Revenge Time

    PHOTO: John Jones/Imagn Images

    As the Phillies enter this series against the Mets, I am feeling confident this team will win at least 2/4, if not 3/4, over the Mets at home. After getting swept on the road a few weeks ago, I would like to think this team has the firepower to get there get back in some way. This is a series where the Phillies need Bryce Harper to tap into some of that postseason energy and deliver some big hits. If Turner is out for this entire series, which is likely, the Phillies will need their big bats in Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper to show up. Schwarber was in the midst of a 0-17 stretch the last time he played the Mets, so I’m hopeful that won’t be happening again this series.

    I’m also looking for Alec Bohm and Harrison Bader to stay consistent as well. Bader has been a great addition to this team as he has made some great plays in centerfield while also coming up with some clutch hits.

    The Phillies will also need a better pitching performance from Aaron Nolan in game one compared to the last time he pitched. Nola has been shaky since returning from the IL, and without Zach Wheeler for the rest of the season, the Phillies desperately need Nola to get back on track. If Nola can have a solid start tonight, that would give both him and the Phillies a much-needed confidence boost heading down the stretch.

    Upcoming Week

    After the Phillies complete their four-game series against the Mets, they jump right into a weekend series matchup against the Kansas City Royals (73-70), a team that is also fighting for a playoff spot. This team is targeting a playoff spot in the American League.

    As of Monday, the Royals are two games back of the final wild card spot in the American League. The Phillies have a big week ahead with a chance to not only bury the Mets but take full control of the NL East with 19 games remaining.

    Weekly Prediction: Bryce Harper has one of those signature series where he crushes the ball and powers the Phillies to a series win against both the Mets and Royals.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Harrison Bader J.T. Realmuto JT Realmuto Kansas City Royals Kyle Schwarber Mets MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos NL NL East Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Rob Thomson Royals Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

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    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Phillies Weekly Recap: Zach Wheeler Out 6-8 Months, Phillies Prepare For NL East Showdown – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    May 23, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) throws a pitch in the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

    On Saturday, the Phillies announced that Zach Wheeler would be missing the remainder of the season with venous thoracic outlet syndrome, an injury that requires surgery and has a timetable of 6-8 months for a full recovery. The good news, Wheeler had the blood clot successfully removed. The bad news, the Phillies need to find a way to replace their Cy Young caliber ace for the final stretch of the season and into the playoffs.

    Win It For Wheeler

    No MLB team ever wants to lose its ace, especially a team that has World Series aspirations. For the Phillies, this situation is a new one. Since Wheeler signed with the Phillies, he has been a staple of the rotation, especially in the playoffs. Over the last three years, Wheeler has been great in the playoffs and was the best thing we had to ensure a win in a series. You knew if Wheeler was taking the mound, the Phillies had a decent chance to win the game. Now, with Wheeler gone for the season, it’s going to be extremely hard to replace an arm like his. Luckily for the Phillies, they have three arms I would trust in a playoff series, which is more than a lot of other teams have.

    With Wheeler being gone, I could see the Phillies rolling out a staff of Christopher Sanchez, Ranger Suarez, and Aaron Nola for a playoff series. Getting a first-round bye is massive for this team, as the National League gets the extra day off in between games this year (the leagues alternate each year). With that extra day, the Phillies will only need three arms for the NLDS. Game one starter is easily Christopher Sanchez, with game two belonging to either Ranger Suarez or Aaron Nola. If Rob wants back-to-back lefties, he will go with Ranger. If he wants to mix a righty in there, he will go with Nola. Despite his injuries and inconsistency, I trust Nola to show up and perform in the postseason. Like Wheeler, he has pitched well in the playoffs, and let’s not forget he was our ace at one point. My stance may change by season’s end, but I wouldn’t mind if Nola got the ball in a game two scenario.

    Ranger Suarez is cool, calm, and collected every time he steps on the mound, no matter the game. Having him pitch in a game two or three is not a terrible situation to be in. The Phillies are very fortunate this year to have a plethora of starting pitching, and if the offense can pick up the pitching, this team can still make noise in the postseason. If Suarez can close out an NLCS to send us to the World Series circa 2023, I would absolutely trust him starting a playoff game for us. He has found his groove in his last two starts, striking out 10+ in both. If that’s the Ranger, the Phillies get in the postseason, I will feel extremely confident this team could win a series even without Zach Wheeler.

    Offense Steps Up

    Losing your ace means you’re going to need more contributions from key players on offense. JT Realmuto has been on fire since June, leading all catchers in batting average since then. Bryce Harper has been swinging a hot bat, and Bryson Stott has been thriving in the nine hole. Rob Thompson moved Stott to 9th in the order a few weeks ago, and I have loved it ever since. Not only is Stott hitting more, but Trea Turner has been great since having Stott before the order turns around to him. Turner is hitting .300 and is the current NL leader in hits with 160. On top of Turner playing great defense this year, he is having his best season as a Phillie so far.

    Kyle Schwarber had a down weekend against the Nationals, but still has 45 homers and 109 RBI. He is second in home runs in baseball and leads the majors in RBI. Schwarber has been elite this year, and the Phillies will need his offense to remain consistent as we head down the stretch.

    Upcoming Week

    The Phillies have a massive week coming up, starting tonight against the divisional rival New York Mets (69-61). The Phillies are currently 7 games up on the Mets as we enter play this evening. The Phillies have an opportunity to bury the Mets this week if they can take 2/3 or even sweep them. It’s the biggest series of the season for this team, right off the heels of the Zach Wheeler news. I would like to think this Phillies team has the toughness and resilience to take at least 2/3 from the team that ended their season last year. It’s also ironic that it’s against Wheeler’s former team. After a three-game series against the Mets, the Phillies head back home for a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves (59-71). Another division rival that will be gunning for the Phillies despite being 10 games out of a playoff spot. The Braves would love to play spoiler and take some games from the Phillies.

    This Philadelphia Phillies team enters the biggest week of the season without its ace. It’s time to see what this team is made of and how battle-tested this team truly is. If the Phillies could take 5/7 games overall, it would be an extremely successful week.

    Prediction of the week: Who else picks up this team other than Bryce Harper? Harper and Schwarber power the Phillies this week, both clubbing 3 home runs apiece. A big week means I get to predict big.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Jhoan Duran JT Realmuto Kyle Schwarber Max Kepler MLB New York Mets Nick Castellanos NL East Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Ranger Suarez Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

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    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Bryson Stott made a fix to his swing. He’s been surging for the Phillies since.

    Bryson Stott took a look at his swing and finally realized what needed to be fixed. 

    “Just lowering my hands again,” the Phillies’ second baseman said, “[2023] and the start of [2024] they were pretty low. You take so many swings a day that they started creeping up and creeping up, and didn’t feel it until I started going back and I’m like ‘This looks…something looks weird.’”

    So Stott’s solution was to “just try to simplify it,” and so far, the results have been showing. 

    Stott worked a full count and drove an RBI double to the right-field wall in the second inning of the Phillies’ 11-2 rout of the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday, helping to complete the series sweep in what was a total offensive onslaught down at Citizens Bank Park. 

    He drove in another run with an opposite-field grounder into left, and the night before, he launched a solo homer into the right-field seats. 

    Since the All-Star break, Stott’s been slashing .300/.387/.500, and 18 games into August entering Wednesday’s series finale, he’s posted an even hotter line of .354/.429/.563.

    The 27-year-old infielder has notably struggled at the plate through the first half of the season, and throughout various spots up and down the lineup. 

    But Stott found stability at the No. 9 spot in the order, and with the adjustment of lowering his hands while he’s in the batter’s box, the payoff has been huge – both for his own production and the Phillies’ overall offensive cohesion, as his hot bat leads right into another with a surging Trea Turner at the top, and then into Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and J.T. Realmuto at the heart of the order.

    “He knows where the barrel’s at,” manager Rob Thomson said postgame Wednesday of the change to Stott’s swing.

    “You got that guy at the end of your lineup and he gets hot, that really helps your offense,” Thomson continued. “Because it turns it over to Turner and Schwarber and Harp and J.T., who’s swinging the bat well, so that’s a big thing for us.”

    And what can help to yield 48 hits and 29 runs scored across a series like it did this week against the Mariners. 

    Stott can field, run the bases, and has an eye at the plate that can make him an incredibly tough out for opposing pitchers. That much has been known about him ever since he made his way up the Phillies in 2022. 

    The struggle, and concern, for the past year and a half, though, has been on him actually making solid contact and getting on base first. 

    Stott hasn’t done that consistently since the 2023 season, when he slashed .280/.329/.419 through 151 games. 

    But he might be putting the puzzle back together at the plate now. He just needed to get his hands lower.

    “You see the talent there,” Turner said of Stott from the clubhouse postgame. “We all know how good he is. He was a little frustrated with himself early in the year, and just feeling like he was missing pitches that he should hit. That’s kind of the difference.”

    “The at-bats have been really consistent,” Turner added. “Feel like he’s walking quite a bit, too, in front of me. Feel like he’s getting in good counts, swinging at good pitches. He expects that out of himself. It was only a matter of time because we’ve seen him in the past be really good.”

    And he’s doing good right now, which only has the Phillies looking that much better – like capable of piling on 29 runs in three days against a postseason contender better.

    “You always want to play well, but doing that in three games against those arms, and they’re really good arms, should just show you that we can do it,” Stott said. “We need to have the confidence that we can do it.”

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    Nick Tricome

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  • Phillies Weekly Recap: Phillies Maintain NL East Lead, Zach Wheeler Placed On IL – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Phillies went 6-4 over their longest road trip of the season, maintaining a 5-game lead in the NL East. As Aaron Nola returned from the IL, Zach Wheeler went on the IL, with an upper extremity blood clot in his right shoulder. Wheeler currently has no timetable for a return.

    Happy To Be Home

    Despite having a winning record on the road trip, the Phillies’ offense struggled at times, and the pitching rotation took a massive hit with Zach Wheeler heading to the IL. The Phillies started this road trip last weekend in Texas against the Rangers, taking 2/3 in Texas. They lost 2/3 in Cincinnati to the Reds, a team fighting for the final Wild Card spot. They closed out their longest road trip of the season with four games in Washington, splitting the series 2/2 with the Nationals. While they head back home with a winning record on the trip, nothing can make up for the loss of Zach Wheeler.

    It was announced Saturday night that the Phillies would be placing Zach Wheeler on the IL with an upper extremity blood clot in his right shoulder. The Phillies have no timetable for his return at the moment, as he will be getting more testing done on his shoulder throughout the week. The Phillies losing their ace down the stretch is brutal, and with no timetable for his return, who knows if he will even pitch again this season. Blood clots are a serious issue, and I can see the Phillies being over-cautious with Wheeler. My best-case scenario is that he comes back with a week or two left in the season to get a start or two under his belt before the playoffs. The worst case is we don’t see him till next spring training. It’s going to be a very interesting next few days as more news is expected to come on Zach Wheeler’s health.

    Closing Out August

    As we enter the final two weeks of August, the race to the postseason is heating up. The Phillies currently hold a 5-game lead over the New York Mets for the top spot in the division. To close out August, the Phillies have a three-game series against the Mariners this upcoming week and then three series in a row against NL East competition. The Nationals come to town this weekend before the Phillies close the month out with a three-game series against the Mets and a four-game series against the Atlanta Braves. These next two weeks will be crucial for the Phillies as they try to set themselves up for back-to-back NL East titles. They have a chance to bury the Mets and take away any last hope the Braves have of making the postseason.

    The offense needs to get it going, and following an 11-run outburst in the final game of the Nationals series, I would hope the offense is starting to find its groove again. Getting Alec Bohm in the lineup is huge, and he showed that Sunday with a homer in his first game back. If the offense can put up 5-7 runs a game down the stretch, the Phillies should be able to use their top-tier bullpen to close out games.

    Speaking of the bullpen, reliever Jose Alvarado is expected to return from suspension this week, which will give the Phillies another hard-throwing lefty out of the bullpen. The Phillies also avoided disaster after newly acquired closer Jhoan Duran took a line drive off the foot Friday night. He was carted off the field as the city of Philadelphia held its breath. They were able to exhale on Sunday after Duran came in and earned a save against the Nationals.

    Upcoming Week

    The Phillies welcome the Seattle Mariners (68-57) to town for a three-game series against a team that’s also fighting for a division. The Mariners are 1.5 games back of the Houston Astros for first place in the NL West. The Phillies have an off day on Thursday, followed by a three-game series against the Nationals in Philadelphia. If the Phillies can finish the week winning 4/6 games, I will be happy.

    Weekly Prediction

    Alec Bohm hits a pair of homers during this homestand, and Christopher Sanchez shines in his first start since the Zach Wheeler news.

    Tags: Aaron Nola Alec Bohm Bryce Harper Bryson Stott Christopher Sanchez Harrison Bader Jhoan Duran Jose Alvarado Kyle Schwarber Matt Strahm Nick Castellanos Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies Phillies Trea Turner Zach Wheeler

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    Matt Saglembeni

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  • Instant observations: Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott even NLDS, save Phillies season

    Instant observations: Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos and Bryson Stott even NLDS, save Phillies season

    The Phillies just needed to break the seal.

    And they did in a big way Sunday, as a pair of monster home runs and a late triple evened the NLDS at 1-1 in a come-from-behind 7-6 walk-off Phillies victory.

    After blowing a two-run ninth-inning lead, the Phillies drew two walks and Nick Castellanos called game.

    Castellanos was mobbed in the infield as a party erupted in Citizens Bank Park. It was his third game-altering hit of a roller coaster ride in South Philly, one that will long be remembered as the Phillies are back in business following a lifeless Game 1 loss.

    The Mets were the feel-good story in baseball (or at least one of them this October), and they finally ran into a (red) brick wall in the form of the Phillies’ awakened offense. Things head up I-95 to Queens with the best-of-five series all squared up. Here’s a look at the good, the bad and the ugly from a storybook Game 2 win:

    The Good

    • Bryce Harper’s baseball bat carries the weight of an entire city on it. And in the sixth inning, he uncorked an aura of bliss and relief with one swing:

    The offense was in total muck and mire, but hitting can be contagious — and Nick Castellanos caught what Harper had seconds later:

    New life for a game, a series, and a season after two long balls, as the Phillies and Mets were suddenly tied at 3-apiece. The momentum had discernibly shifted.

    There’s something unique about baseball that makes it rightly worthy of the romanticism the sport gets from its hardcore and longtime fans. Other sports like basketball or football surely have momentum changes or hugely impactful plays. But they’re often anticipated, or extremely situational. Baseball can turn at the drop of a hat and it did on Sunday in South Philly.

    • While on the subject of Castellanos — the Phils got another huge hit from the streaky outfielder, when a single in the eighth allowed Harper (after a walk) to go from first to third. That’s when the birthday boy Bryson Stott hit a two-RBI triple to put the Phillies ahead for the first time in 16 innings:

    These are the kinds of big-time plays the Phillies have made routinely over the previous two falls. Insurance came on a weakly hit J.T. Realmuto grounder that Mark Vientos was unable to come up with, scoring Stott and giving Philly a 6-4 edge.

    • It was a tough call for manager Rob Thomson to push typical Game 2 starter Aaron Nola back for regular-season phenom Cristopher Sánchez, whose home-away splits made a compelling case for him to start at Citizens Bank Park– the lefty’s 2.21 ERA and 7-3 record through 17 starts in South Philly this year stood as the third-best home season for a starter in the history of the ballpark.

    Three innings in, with Sánchez looking like he was in cruise control, a single from Francisco Lindor and a two-run blast from the red-hot Vientos put him on the ropes quickly, and the Phillies yet again in an uncomfortable spot. 

    Ultimately it turned out okay, as Phillies’ All-Star had five solid innings and was interestingly lifted after 88 pitches. He received zero run support. It’s really hard to make much of Thomson’s choice, as he’d sign up for two runs allowed every day of the week.

    Sánchez did not make his career postseason debut in his start Sunday — he actually has one under his belt from last season. The hurler tossed two and a third innings against the Diamondbacks in Phoenix last October, in what was essentially an opener role. He allowed two runs in an eventual 6-4 loss in the NLCS (that would tie that series at two games each).

    • Nice to get the taste of three straight home playoff losses out of the Delaware Valley (dating back to Game 6 and 7 of the NLCS last year).

    The Bad

    • We’ll save the lamentations about MLB’s postseason format, and how the Phillies’ second-best record in the majors over 162 games was almost eradicated with the “reward” of having five days off last week. But clearly the rust had some weight. The Phillies had just three hits before Harper’s homer, and the bullpen, well…

    • After five pretty good innings, Thomson lifted Sánchez for José Ruiz, who gave up three hits but most damagingly a home run to Pete Alonso to put the Phils further behind 3-0.

    Later, after the Phillies tied it, Brandon Nimmo took another ace reliever Orion Kirkering deep, again putting the Mets up 4-3. Make that eight runs allowed by Phillies relievers so far in this series. Is it on the manager, or do the players need to perform?

    The Phillies had a very striated bullpen this season, with four reliable killer relievers — Strahm, Kerkering, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez. Three of those four couldn’t hang on to shut down the Mets and if the Phillies want to claw out a series win, they can’t do it without clean innings from those four arms. Strahm was the worst offender, following up his ugly Game 1 with a two-run game-tying homer to Vientos in Game 2.

    • Trea Turner had a pair of stolen bases in the first inning, and Johan Rojas had one in the third — the ultra-aggressive base running was a sign of just how much the Phillies were pressing, with base runners few and far between up to that point this postseason. Stott was the Phillies’ third base runner of the game in the fourth and he was caught trying to nab third. 

    • Alec Bohm was on the bench to start Game 2 after an 0-for-4 Game 1. He was called on to pinch hit, and popped out on one pitch. Edmundo Sosa made an error replacing him at third. What will Thomson do at third on Tuesday?

    The Ugly

    • The bullpen aces giving up clutch hits and home runs to the Mets will be the story of this series if the Phillies falter in it. 

    Take a look:

    Pitcher Reg. Season Games 1-2
    Matt Strahm 1.87 ERA in 62.2 IP 4 ER in 1 IP
    Carlos Estévez 2.57 ERA in 21 IP 0 ER in 1 IP
    Orion Kerkering 2.29 ERA in 63 IP 1 ER in 1.2 IP
    Jeff Hoffman 2.17 ERA in 66.1 IP 5 ER in 0.1 IP

    • They really should name it a “Philly Cheer” when fans sarcastically applaud and cheer for a player, like when Castellanos swung and missed at two atrocious pitches in a row during his fourth-inning at-bat before taking a pitch in the dirt.

    The boo birds were in full swing for a lot of Sunday’s game, replacing the amped-up, high-decibel roars that defined the previous two playoff runs through South Philadelphia. The Phils’ flat offense and desperate approach at the plate was not pleasing to the 46,000 faithful fans in the stands. They let players know when they’re playing well… and when they’re not.

    • During Kyle Schwarber’s third-inning fly out to right — on a line drive that was very close to being a game-tying home run Rojas got some exercise. After a single, the speedy centerfielder threw caution to the wind as he rounded second base on the Schwarber fly out, put on the breaks and retreated to first after the out was recorded, and then did it again as a throwing error allowed him to take second base. He would later steal third. 

    MORE: Bryce Harper on the Phillies’ postseason mentality

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    Evan Macy

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  • Phillies clinch NL East title, Wild Card bye with series win over Cubs

    Phillies clinch NL East title, Wild Card bye with series win over Cubs

    The Phillies got their postseason spot, then their first NL East title in 13 years, and now they have their first-round bye into the NLDS.

    In front of a sold-out Citizens Bank Park crowd for the last time in the 2024 regular season, the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 9-6 on Wednesday night to take 2 of 3 in the final homestand, which coupled with a Milwaukee Brewers loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, bought them a valuable few extra days of rest before the fabled Red October comes back around again. 

    All that’s left now is one more three-game set in Washington against the Nationals, and one last push in a race with the Dodgers to try and claim the NL’s top seed. 

    But it’s been a whirlwind few days for the Fightin’ Phils already. Here’s a rundown of it all…

    The Toast

    The regular-season clock was ticking and magic numbers were shrinking. 

    Red October, at this rate, was a near inevitability, and to an extent, the NL East title, too. But the Phillies still needed to bag a few more games to get there. 

    Last Friday against the Mets up in Queens, the Phils punched their first ticket. 

    Cristopher Sánchez was stellar for five innings, then the bullpen took over and shut New York down, all while the offense teed off for 12 runs on 17 hits. 

    The Phillies won, 12-2, and although they eventually lost 3 of 4 for the series, they clinched their postseason berth at the very least. 

    But the party wasn’t on just yet. 

    In the visiting clubhouse afterward, the team put a hold on the overalls, blaring music, and flying champagne. 

    They made a toast instead, knowing there was more for them to chase after. 

    “This is the first step,” manager Rob Thomson told his club. “We can’t have a countdown, J.T., because we don’t know how many games we’ll have. But when we know, I’ll ask you. 

    “But congrats. This is a huge accomplishment. I love you guys, and this is the first step of many more.”

    The Party

    The Phillies came back to Citizens Bank Park on Monday for their last home series of the regular season. 

    The magic number to clinch the division dropped to one. The first NL East pennant in 13 years was right there for the taking against the Cubs, and in front of the South Philly faithful.

    Aaron Nola, the longest-tenured Phillie, took the mound and tossed through 6.0 innings before the ball was given to Matt Strahm in relief with the bases loaded. But by then, the Phils were already up 6-1, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos had put a dent in the Cubs, and Nola was walking back to the dugout with a crowd of 42,000-plus on their feet for him. 

    It was fitting.

    Two years ago, way late into a 2022 season when absolutely nothing felt certain yet, Nola was on the bump with a chance to lead the Phillies into the postseason for the first time in 11 years. He gave them 6.2 shutout innings to kickstart what became the October run of a lifetime. 

    So of course it was him on Monday night, leading the charge on putting another franchise drought of over a decade to bed. 

    And the Phillies did. 

    The bullpen held the line again and deadline acquisition Carlos Estévez registered the final out to what’s become his signature Dragon Ball celebration as the rest of the team huddled around the mound.

    The white 2024 division pennant was out, the team photo was taken, and now it was time for a party in the clubhouse. 

    Thomson brought owner and CEO John Middleton in to kick the celebration off. He re-stated the phrase that’s been his whole M.O. since building up this era of Phillies baseball…

    “I want my f—ing trophy back!”

    The champagne flew. 

    But there was still work to do.

    The Hangover

    The postseason spot was clinched, the NL East title was clinched, but the Phillies still had a chase to close out against the Dodgers and Brewers for a bye straight into the NLDS – and possibly the league’s No. 1 seed.

    For the physical toll this season has taken on them throughout, they needed the extra few days’ worth of rest and could’ve moved a step closer to it with another win on Tuesday night. 

    But Tuesday night was the notorious hangover game, and…yeah…

    The Final Touches

    The dullness didn’t linger. 

    On Wednesday night, for the last game in front of the Citizens Bank Park crowd before the postseason, the first-round bye was on the table. The Phillies needed a win and a Milwaukee loss to clinch it. 

    Trea Turner opened with a solo shot in the first, and then Bryson Stott quickly followed up with a two-run double after a Bryce Harper walk and a Castellanos two-bagger to immediately make it 3-0.

    Castellanos came back to homer in third, Kody Clemens put a ball in the center-field ivy in the fourth, Brandon Marsh cleared the deck with a bases-loaded double in the fifth, and then Realmuto drove in a run on a liner in the seventh to withstand two Chicago home runs from Nico Hoerner for the 9-6 win.

    The Phillies did their part, taking the series finale and 2 of 3 from Chicago, while the Pirates held the Brewers to a 2-1 defeat to lock the Wild Card bye in for Philadelphia.

    The series in Washington to tune up and possibly claim the top seed from the Dodgers for full home-field advantage is all that’s left until the calendar flips.

    “I think it’s huge to get these guys some rest, and now we can sort of plan out our pitching for the weekend,” Thomson said postgame. “Our starters, I mean, they’re gonna have to start – [Ranger Suárez], [Zack Wheeler], and Nola – but we can pull them back a little bit.”

    Then it’s on to the real show, which will begin back here at Citizens Bank Park on Oct. 5 for Game 1 of the NLDS.

    “We’re all excited,” Marsh said from the clubhouse. “We worked our butts off for this moment. We’re gonna make the best of it.”

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    Nick Tricome

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  • For the 30-win Phillies, the Best is Yet to Come – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    For the 30-win Phillies, the Best is Yet to Come – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Zach Wheeler isn’t happy.
    The Phillies ace, who ranks second in the N.L. in strikeouts, had his worst start of the season on Sunday against the Marlins, allowing six runs on six hits and three walks over just four innings.

    He’s admitted over the first month and a half of the regular season that he hasn’t had his “best stuff.” He’s been battling through some things, often unseen, as his command hasn’t been quite as sharp as it usually is. The catch? He’s currently in the lead for the N.L. Cy Young award, perhaps only rivaled by his battery mate Ranger Suarez, with a 2.53 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 11.0 K/9, and a .190 BAA. 

    Wheeler’s dominance, in spite of not living up to his own performance standards, is a microcosm of how the Phillies have played this season. Yes, entering Tuesday’s matchup against the Mets, the Phillies have the best record in MLB, up 2.0 games on Atlanta with a gaudy 29-13 start to the regular season.

    And while some degree of regression is to be expected, there is evidence to support the theory that the best is yet to come for this talented Phillies roster. 

    Trea Turner’s Absence

    Since the Phillies star shortstop left May 3rd’s matchup against San Francisco with a hamstring strain–the first victory in a four-game sweep of the Giants–the Phillies have gone 7-2, splitting a two-game set against the Blue Jays and winning three out of four in Miami. Turner’s absence has paved the way for some of the team’s utility players to get extended reps. Edmundo Sosa has taken the opportunity in full stride–entering Tuesday’s matchup, Sosa had made six straight starts at shortstop, hitting .375 (6 for 16) with two triples, two doubles, three RBIs, and most notably, five walks. In 2023, Sosa had a walk rate of just 2.7% in 300 plate appearances. In 2024, he has a walk rate of 11.1% in just 54 plate appearances. 

    Kody Clemens has become the utility man extraordinaire since his call-up to the big leagues on April 22. He has five hits in 15 plate appearances, many of them clutch, including a pinch-hit single in the 9th inning to invigorate a rally against Mets closer Edwin Diaz. He added to his night with a heroic leaping catch at second base in the bottom of the 9th.

    An Opening in the Outfield

    Turner’s absence, combined with a lingering back injury that took Kyle Schwarber out of much of the series against Miami, has shifted the lineup enough to where another young, promising utility man has had a chance to shine: outfielder Cristian Pache. The 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic has seen limited playing time in 2024–in 42 games, Pache has made only 10 starts with just 30 at-bats.

    The rise of Johan Rojas, combined with the presence of Whit Merrifield and starting left fielder Brandon Marsh, has made it difficult for Pache to stand out. However, in the last seven days, Pache has made three starts, hitting .385 with two RBIs in 13 plate appearances. Pache’s physical tools in the outfield, he ranked in the 94th percentile of arm strength in 2023, paired with Marsh’s continued inability to hit left-handed pitching, could pave the way for more playing time in the coming weeks. 

    Bryson Stott’s Resurgence

    Middle infielder Bryson Stott had a tough start to the 2024 season. A strong 2023 campaign had left expectations higher than ever for Stott in his third year with the big league club. Pre-season polls had him ranked amongst the 10 best second basemen in the sport, and his Gold Glove-level defense, combined with his power at the plate and speed on the base paths, primed the 26-year-old for a breakout in 2024. However, things didn’t go as planned. Stott entered the month of May hitting just .225, with more strikeouts (17) than walks (11). He was more of a burden than a contributor, unable to be the power bat in the middle of the lineup that the team envisioned him as. 

    Despite his poor start to the year, Stott remained confident in his abilities and the results have started to show. Along with playing excellent defense at both second base and shortstop, Stott has been on fire as of late, hitting .433 and slugging .700 in the month of May. His emergence into the player he is capable of being will be key to the team’s continued success.

    In the face of adversity, the Phillies have continued to find ways to win.
    With a roster as deep as any in the sport, they’ve proven that they can add to their win total in any way–from bottom-of-the-order contributions against Miami to late-inning heroics in the Big Apple, their depth and tenacity are why the best may still be yet to come for this Phillies squad. 

    PHOTO: —

    Dylan Campbell

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  • Ranking the best Phillies second basemen ever

    Ranking the best Phillies second basemen ever


    For the next two weeks, leading up to pitchers and catchers reporting to Clearwater for the 2024 Phillies, we decided to take a look at each position in the Phillies storied 100+ year history and come up with a list of the all-time greats at each position.

    We’re going to limit our lists to 10 (with a few extra mentions) in part because there were more than 100 players to play second in at least one game for the Phillies.

    At second base had a few requirements. The player had to have started at the position for at least three seasons in Philadelphia and their statistical and cultural impact were both weighed when making these rankings.

    The Phillies have had some really great second basemen in their history, many of whom are borderline Hall of Famers who never got that special call.

    Before we dive into our top 10, here’s a look at a handful of 2B-men that either didn’t qualify, or make the cut talent-wise:

    Player Games Notes
    Bryson Stott 278 5.3 WAR
    Marlon Anderson 479 .266/.313/.383
    Mariano Duncan 406 1994 All-Star
    Joe Morgan 123 ’83 Pennant
    Cookie Rojas 880 1965 All-Star
    Tony Taylor 1,669 1960 All-Star
    Bert Neihoff 408 .244/.290/.334
    Emil Verban 348 1947 All-Star

    No one above is really a threat to knock off a top 10 pick below. To our list:

    1. Chase Utley (2003-15)

    .282/.366/.481 | 233 HR, 916 RBI | 6 All-Star, 4 Silver Slugger, 2008 World Series Champion

    Shamus Clancy: One of the best pure baseball players of the late ’00s and early ’10s, Utley was a winner who provided major pop as an up-the-middle player, reliable defense and the smartest base-running tactics around. Injuries derailed what coulda/shoulda/woulda been a slam-dunk Hall of Fame career given his peak, but, hey, he still may have a shot of getting in anyway.

    In what may be the best play in franchise history, Utley’s “fake to first, throw home” in the Phils’ clinching game of the 2008 World Series sums up his whole play style:

    World F—–g Champs, indeed.

    2. Nap Lajoie (1896-1900)

    .345/.374/.520 | 32 HR, 458 RBI | Hall of Famer

    Shamus: This dude could rake. While having more success during longer stints with the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Naps (which were named after him!), he spent his first five big league seasons with the Phillies. Lajoie led the sport in slugging percentage (.569) and total bases (310) in 1897 and then doubles (43) and RBI (127) in 1898. 

    3. Juan Samuel (1983-89)

    .263/.310/.439 | 100 HR, 413 RBI | 2 All-Star, Silver Slugger

    Nick Tricome: From his first full season in 1984 and up through 1987, Samuel hit double digits in home runs, doubles, triples, and stolen bases with each year. He was lightning on the base paths, which created all kinds of headaches for opposing batteries, especially in ’84 when he stole a staggering 72 bags. 

    4. Dave Cash (1974-76)

    .296/.348/.371 | 7 HR, 171 RBI | 3 All-Star, Silver Slugger

    Evan Macy: What a three-year stretch Cash had. In addition to nearly batting .300 cumulatively, he also led the entire majors in at bats every year he was in Philly. The organization got a pretty good return when they traded starter Ken Brett for him in 1973, but they chose to let him walk after three All-Star campaigns and top 16 finished for MVP in all his seasons.

    5. Manny Trillo (1979-82)

    .277/.321/.369 | 19 HR, 160 RBI | 2 All-Star, 2 Silver Slugger, 3 Gold Gloves, 1980 World Series Champion

    Nick: A reliable bat, a solid glove, and an absolute tank in the do-or-die Game 5 of the 1980 NLCS against Nolan Ryan and the Astros.

    6. Cesar Hernandez (2013-19)

    .277/.352/.381 | 46 HR, 253 RBI 

    Evan: I am not here to make a case for Hernandez being an All-Time great Phillie. He was solid, sure, but his placement as No. 6 is surprising to me. However, look at his numbers compared to the No. 5 on our list in Trillo. He has the same batting average and a higher on base and slugging percentage, over a longer period of time. He generated 10.1 WAR in seven Philly seasons and Trillo had 6.8 over four seasons. And yet Trillo made two All-Star games and won all that hardware. It helps to play on a good team — and Hernandez never did that.

    7. Otto Knabe (1907-13)

    .249/.328/.315  | 5 HR, 280 RBI

    Evan: Franz Otto Knabe was called Dutch and was born in 1884. He was a really good second baseman for his era, collecting top 22 voting finishes for MVP three times as a Phillie. His career earnings for 11 seasons as a major league baseball player were just over $42,000 but that’s not my favorite part of his baseball reference page. After being “acquired” and “signed” and “released” several times by several teams, he apparently “Jumped from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Baltimore Terrapins,” via BR’s transactional records. He jumped!

    8. Jean Segura (2019-22)

    .282/.337/.427 | 33 HR, 143 RBI 

    Shamus: For a franchise that has over 11,000 losses in its largely undistinguished history, focusing on the little moments is important. Few little slap hits were more crucial for the Phils over the decades than Segura’s in St. Louis during the 2022 Wild Card Series.

    Facing a 2-1 deficit in Game 1 of that series, a prayer of a hit from Segura made it to right field, allowing two Phillies to score, giving the team a 3-2 lead and propelling them to win the series and make a run to the Fall Classic:

    Segura celebrating with a leap as he made his way to first as the ball broke through the infield was emblematic of the incredible vibes that Fightins squad had. 

    9. Mickey Morandini (1990-97, 00)

    .267/.334/.360 | 20 HR, 254 RBI | All-Star

    Nick: A quick bat for those 90s Phillies clubs who always seemed to have a triple spring loaded when they needed it. Case in point: Game 6 of the ’93 NLCS.

    He’s also one of the very few to have an unassisted triple play to his name. 

    10. Bill Hallman (1888-89, 92-97, 01-03)

    .278/.331/.354 | 12 HR, 574 RBI | All-Star

    Shamus: Who can forget Bill Hallman? Well, literally no one is who alive in this world was around when he played in Philly, but still. Hallman had the distinction of being the only player to improve their batting average in nine consecutive seasons, going from .206 with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1888 to .320 with the Phillies in 1896. He had nowhere to go but up!



    Evan Macy

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