It's too early to push a panic button, but there's cause for concern.
The Phillies were outplayed again on Monday night in the Bronx, falling to the Yankees in an 8-1 loss.
It's their fourth straight to open the season, leaving the club as the only team in baseball without a victory.
Through four games, the Phillies have surrendered 37 runs. That's the most in a four-game stretch to open a season since 1895. The difference is the '85 club at least won one of their first four games.
Taijuan Walker, making his debut with the Phillies, tossed 87 pitches and lasted just 4 1/3 innings. He surrendered four runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out five.
Yunior Marte came in as relief in the fifth but was hit around the ballpark, recording just one out while surrendering four runs on three hits and three walks.
The Phillies' pitching staff is carrying a 9.28 ERA, the worst figure in the Majors. They also have the worst WHIP at 2.03.
Along with the shoddy pitching, Brandon Marsh made some crucial mistakes that pushed the contest to the Yankees. He misplayed a DJ LeMahieu liner in the opening frame, allowing the ball to go under his glove and to the wall. Marsh then committed a miscue on the bases in the fifth, reacting late to a stop sign from third base coach Dusty Wathan and getting caught too far away from third base.
"He ran with his head down, he didn't see Dusty with his hands up," Phillies skipper Rob Thomson told reporters afterwards. "Dusty had his hands up in plenty of time to hold him and Cordero throws the ball pretty good. It looks bad because he overthrows the cutoff man but you don't know that as the third base coach, you just know when the guy's about to third base and when the ball's in his glove. He just got around too far."
The Phillies are likely to make some roster moves on Tuesday morning to bring in some fresh arms.
Left-hander Matt Strahm will start on Tuesday, but he'll be limited to about 60 pitches.
