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Phillies: How May of 2016 compares to May of 2017

By Chris Valenti |
May 28, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin (56) reacts after allowing home run by Cincinnati Reds right fielder Scott Schebler (43) during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Zach Eflin (56) reacts after allowing home run by Cincinnati Reds right fielder Scott Schebler (43) during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to put into words what happened to the Phillies in May, but easy to compare how they looked last year at this time

The month of May has been a dreadful one for the Phillies this season. A team that’s been decimated by injuries dealt with drama between the manager and players, and struggled to produce any offense has left many wondering if the right path is being traveled.

Their struggles have resulted in a 6-22 record in the month of May.  The team’s .230 average in the month is the fourth-lowest in the league behind the Giants, Padres, and Cubs. They rank even lower in on-base percentage, ranking 28th out of 30 teams with an on-base percentage of .300.

Not only is the team not getting on base, but the power numbers are at the bottom of the league as well. Not only is the team not getting on base, but the power numbers are in league’s basement. The team was 28th in MLB with 98 RBIs, and 25th in home runs with 28.

May 28, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera (37) strikes out on a pitch in the dirt during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. The Reds defeated the Phillies, 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera (37) strikes out on a pitch in the dirt during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park. The Reds defeated the Phillies, 8-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

While many may not remember a Phillies team struggling this badly in recent memory, the offensive numbers in May of 2016 were just as horrid, if not worse than 2017.

In May 2016 the team ranked 25th in baseball with an average of .234, slightly higher than this season. While their average was slightly higher, their on-base percentage was lower.  The team ranked 29th with an on-base percentage of just .286.

Home runs and RBIs are also up compared to last season for the month of May. In 2016 the team ranked 29th with 18 home runs and dead last in RBIs with 77.

More from That Balls Outta Here

While the offensive numbers were down last season, the team won more games in May with a record of 12-16. The significant difference in the better win-loss record was the performance of the pitchers.

In May 2016 the team was 11th best in the entire MLB with an era of 3.92 and 21st in the league in earned runs after allowing 106.

In contrast, the 2017 Phillies pitchers are dead last in the league with a team era of 5.49 and number of earned runs, surrendering 151 in the month of May.

Last May the team was able to float above water as a result of their pitching.  May 2017 is a different story.

Next: Three Reasons the Phillies Have Struggled

The perfect storm of no offense and terrible pitching has caused this team to spiral out of control. Only time will tell if the team can dig out of the hole they are in and have a more productive June.

For the sake of Phillies fans around the world, let’s hope they can right the ship and start playing some entertaining baseball.

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