Strikeouts Are Plaguing the Phillies
The Phillies brought in Matt Stairs to help Philadelphia’s hitters stay patient at the plate, and it looked like it was working to start the season. They struck out just eight times on Opening Day, but that number has risen dramatically since, as pointed out by Meghan Montemurro of the News Journal:
Phillies lose 7-4 after Reds score six unanswered runs. In the last two days, #Phillies have struck out 25 total times.
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) April 6, 2017
Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph both have five strikeouts, Freddy Galvis has four, and Maikel Franco has three so far this season. This was one of the key sticking points of the offseason and spring training, but once the losses started back up, it appears the team has forgotten.
Next: Ryan Howard Signs Minor-League Deal with Braves
The Phils cannot let this effect compound. The more they strikeout, the more they’ll lose, the more they’ll press and strike out because they’re losing, and so on and so on.