For a while now, the Philadelphia Phillies just seem to struggle against the Marlins. Last year, in a seven-game series that included two doubleheaders, the Phillies won just two games. Spanning this and last season, the Phillies only have a 6-11 record against their division rival.
Something popped into my head about these teams that might explain why the Phillies struggle against the Marlins. Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, and Didi Gregorius being hurt are a significant reason for this year. But what about previous seasons, such as in 2019, when 10 of the Marlins’ 57 overall wins came against the Phillies?
The reason is that the Marlins are nearly the exact opposite of the Phillies. Here are six differences between these clubs.
Six differences between the Phillies and Marlins franchises.
If we want to say the obvious, the Marlins have been known for being very cheap and parting ways with their bigger-named players — such as Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Marcell Ozuna. The Phillies, meanwhile, are a team that signs star players or trades for them. They even traded for Realmuto, a former Marlins star.
Another thing that makes these franchises so different is their farm systems. The Marlins have four top 100 prospects on MLB Pipeline — Sixto Sanchez (No. 12), JJ Bleday (15), Max Meyer (22), and Edward Cabrera. This already goes along with their talent already in the majors — such as Jazz Chisholm, who has a 130 OPS+ this year. A pitching staff with Sandy Alcantara, Trevor Rodgers, and Pablo Lopez, all younger than 27, lead their rotation.
The Phillies, on the other hand, have just one top-100 prospect — Mick Abel, who is just 19. Among the young players on the Phillies big-league roster include Alec Bohm — who is having a brutal sophomore slump — and Nick Maton, a surprising young position player who should serve as a valuable middle-infielder moving forward. The Phillies rotation has no one younger than 27, but the bullpen features promising talents such as Connor Brogdon and Jose Alvarado.
The young Phillies talent just doesn’t compare to the Marlins.