This is a far cry from the team that led the majors in wins through the season’s first three months. Since June, the Phillies have been in a tailspin, turning a once-promising campaign into a season teetering on the brink, raising real doubts about their World Series aspirations.
After a historic start, matching the best 50-game record since the 2001 Mariners, the Phillies have faltered. A 4-6 road trip ended with their 16th loss in 23 games since the All-Star break, underscoring the growing urgency.
When asked about shaking up the lineup, manager Rob Thomson didn’t hold back.
“We’re getting close,” Thomson said after Tuesday's loss.
The Phillies’ struggles were glaring. Bryson Stott finished 0-for-4, and the top four hitters—Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Alec Bohm—combined for just one hit in 15 at-bats.
The 42,846 fans at Citizens Bank Park voiced their frustration, with boos raining down from the upper deck as early as the first inning when Taijuan Walker labored through 34 pitches to escape the opening frame. Walker lasted only four innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks.
The discontent grew louder in the seventh when J.T. Realmuto’s throwing error allowed the Marlins to extend their lead to 4-0.
Meanwhile, the Mets lost to the Athletics, while the Braves were set to play San Francisco on the West Coast. For now, the Phillies hold a 6½-game lead in the NL East, but that margin could shrink quickly. A critical series in Atlanta looms next week, and by then, the race could be even tighter.
Is it time for a team meeting? Time for someone in the clubhouse to step up and shake the team out of this nearly two-month slide? Thomson hasn’t called for many meetings, but now might be the time.
“Is it time to do it? It depends on a lot of things,” Thomson said. “It depends on the attitude and where I think the guys’ minds are at. I think overall they’re very solid right now. Frustrated because they know we’re better than that.”
The Phillies are at a crossroads. How they respond in the coming days could very well define the remainder of their season.
