Phillies: 3 players who have impressed, 2 who have not

The Philadelphia Phillies have had a promising start to the new year. While they are just nine games into the 2021 season, they are currently leading the National League East at 6-3.

As fresh as the new season might be, it’s never too soon to take stock of the team and see where they are shining and where they can still improve. Here are three Phillies who are impressing early — as well as two others who need to step up.

Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins is off to a red-hot start.

Following offseason elbow surgery, it would have been understandable if first basemen Rhys Hoskins started the 2021 season slowly, needing to regain his timing at the plate and just focus on getting some quality at-bats. Instead, he’s opened the year red-hot for the Phillies, providing some powerful pop as the lineup heads into the heart of the order.

Hoskins is currently hitting .306 while slugging .639. His six doubles lead the National League and his two home runs are tied for the Phillies’ lead. He’s also been hammering the ball lately with an average exit velocity (EV) of 92.5 and a top EV of 111.5.

Traditionally, Hoskins has been lauded for his patience at the plate leading to his ability to draw walks and get on base. This season though, if there was one area he could improve in it would be drawing walks. He doesn’t have a single base on balls to his name yet, through nine games.

According to FanGraphs, so far in 2021 Hoskins has swung at 32.5% of pitches outside the strike zone, a mark that would shatter his career-high if this pace continues. However, he’s also making contact with those pitches 65.4% of the time, which would be a career-high. It’s nice to see he’s getting the barrel on the ball, but as games progress, he will likely want to become a bit more restrained.

Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius has a hit in every game so far.

If there were one word to describe how 10-year veteran Didi Gregorius has started his second year in red pinstripes, it would surely be clutch.

The 31-year-old shortstop has proven a knack for coming up big when his team needs him the most. His play in every facet of the game has also been a key reason why the Phillies have been able to jump out to an early lead in the National League East — and will remain so if the team hopes to maintain it.

While his .294 batting average might seem “par for the course for him,” Gregorius has come up big with a couple of crucial hits this season — including a three-run shot in the fourth inning of Sunday night’s game against the rival Atlanta Braves to give the Phillies the lead.

Gregorius is not just making an impact with his bat. Didi also made what could very well go on to be the catch of the year on Opening Day against Atlanta. Even more impressive than the catch itself? It came at the perfect time. Gregorius made the save with two outs in the top of the ninth inning as the Phillies were locked in a 2-2 tie. The Phillies would later walk off and win in extra innings.

Didi has been coming up big on what feels like a nightly basis for the Phillies. The more he plays, the more it looks like his two-year contract was an absolute steal for Philadelphia instead of signing other players, such as Andrelton Simmons, on a one-year pact.

Phillies No. 4 starting pitcher Matt Moore has not impressed.

After spending the 2020 season pitching in Japan, the Phillies hoped that former top prospect Matt Moore could come into the back of the rotation and give the club some quality innings. That still might happen, but so far the results have been less than stellar.

For the first couple of innings in his Phillies debut, Moore looked great. He fanned four of his first six batters and retired the side in order twice, before struggling with the bottom of the New York Mets lineup and losing his command. Moore ended up barely making it into the fourth inning (3 1/3 innings pitched) before Phillies skipper Joe Girardi pulled him after 74 pitches and giving up as many walks (four) as hits and strikeouts.

His second start wasn’t a heck of a lot better. He went five innings deep but surrendered nine hits and five earned runs, including two home runs. There is still plenty of time for Moore to get it together and continue to take steps in the right direction. However, with the team’s top pitching prospect Spencer Howard waiting in the wings, it isn’t as if the Phillies are lacking some elite arm talent to take Moore’s spot in the rotation if these struggles continue long term.

Literally anyone playing center field for the Phillies right now

Is using a position group instead of an individual player here cheating? Maybe. But hey I am writing the list so I get to make the rules, and the point still stands. Philadelphia’s center field situation has been a train wreck so far. Roman Quinn and Adam Haseley have split duties at the position to open the season for the Phillies and the results have pretty much been the worst-case scenario.

Quinn is hitting a whopping .063 and Haseley is barely above the Mendoza line at .211. Together they are a combined 5-35 (.143) with a total of zero walks and 12 strikeouts. Their combined OPS is 160 points below the major league average for a center fielder. To top it off it isn’t like either of them are winning a Gold Glove anytime soon with their work in the field either.

The Phillies knew heading into the season that their thinnest position was going to be center field. That doesn’t make any of this any better though. Quinn offers speed on the basepaths and not much else, while Haseley is a former top 10 draft pick who has struggled to live up to expectations.

If the Phillies are still in the thick of things by mid-July, then center field could be a position that Dave Dombrowski and the front office look to upgrade at via a trade. Otherwise, they do have some in-house options as former number one overall pick Mickey Moniak is on the 40-man roster after a terrific spring in Phillies camp.

If things don’t change quickly, it likely won’t be long before the calls for Moniak or literally anyone else become louder and louder. However, the Phillies brass seeks to improve it, the play out in center field has to be better because it can’t get much worse.