The Phillies are skidding hard in the last few weeks and will need someone to step up to turn things around against the Nationals.
The Phillies are currently 2.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East after losing two of three over the weekend. The gap between teams was evident with how Philadelphia performed during the series.
Now the team will be heading to Washington to face the Nationals in one of the most critical series they have had all year. With the team at a turning point on which way they are going to go, they will have to prove that they are good enough to contend in the division. In what has become a two-team race for the NL East, the Phillies will need to close the margin with plenty of baseball still left.
The Nationals are 8.5 games back for first place, so to say that this is important for them is an understatement. With this four-game series, the Phillies will not just have an opportunity to take a potential lead in the NL East but also to knock the Nats even farther down the totem pole. On the other hand, the Phillies could give the Braves more of a lead and bring the Nationals right back into contention for the NL East.
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Pitching was the biggest concern in the last series, and someone will need to step up for the crucial coming games. Also, the team has yet to put up consistent offensive numbers to help some of the pitching efforts.
The Phillies seem to be looking for their identity, which was a similar problem they had last year, which caused them to skid out of first place. Bryce Harper is still not into a hot streak or at least not in one that can help carry the team to a winning streak.
Jay Bruce and J.T. Realmuto both got injured and are considered day-to-day, yet we know this can always change.
With a crucial series on the way, the team needs to find someone to step up. It feels as though the team is underperforming mightily, but if they keep playing like this, they might need a shake-up of some sorts. They have to find a leader who can carry them to a series win because if not, the red-hot Braves could find themselves running away with a division that was supposed to be Philadelphia’s.