4 Phillies storylines to watch in third month of 2021 season

2. The back end of the rotation and bullpen remains an issue.

Chase Anderson and Matt Moore didn’t work out. Currently, both are out of the starting rotation — replaced by Vince Velasquez and Spencer Howard.

Velasquez was pitching quite well results-wise until his Cincinnati Reds performance on Memorial Day — when he gave up six earned runs in three innings. Velasquez is walking more than five batters per 9 innings, and teams’ BABIP against him is just .228. In other words, Velasquez was getting very lucky and we could soon see some regression, as he did against the Reds.

Howard is a weird case. His biggest struggle might be managing his velocity. Against the Boston Red Sox, the right-hander was great to start, but then his velocity later dropped to concerning levels. He said he couldn’t get his heart rate down after running to first base, but there could be something bigger.

Howard may want to start using his offspeed pitches more, as he is throwing his fastball 72 percent of the time. While it is his best pitch, he should really start mixing things up so he doesn’t become too predictable later in starts. Howard throws his changeup 13 percent of the time, slider 11 percent, and curveball 4 percent. An uptick in these would be smart for now and later in his career if he wants to remain a starter.

Another guy who could be in the running for a chance is Ranger Suarez, who has been used only in the bullpen this year — and has performed very well. Suarez hasn’t given up an earned run yet across 12 innings of work. He has been in the running for a starter spot before, so maybe he ends up getting the ball in the rotation soon.

This is all something to keep an eye on if Spencer or Vinny doesn’t work out.

3. The National League East is an awfully underperforming division.

The Phillies currently sit tied with the Miami Marlins for third place in the National League East — 4 1/2 games behind the New York Mets and 1 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves. With the Marlins looming, the Phillies could be in fourth place as soon as Tuesday. The Washington Nationals are last, two games behind the Phillies and 6 1/2 games back of the division leader.

The division has been off to a really slow start. The first-place team has just a 25-20 record and every other team is below .500. The Mets are doing this with what seems like everyone injured. Notable players out for them include Pete Alonso, JD Davis, Seth Lugo, Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil, and Brandon Nimmo.

The Mets are practically playing their “B team” on some nights, and pitching has gotten them by for now. DeGrom has an ERA below 1.00, Taijuan Walker below 2.00, Marcus Stroman below 2.50. Their bullpen has also been very strong, having eight different pitchers with an ERA+ over 100.

The Braves, second at 25-26, has had disappointing pitching so far — with the 22nd-best ERA as a team in MLB. Their offense, meanwhile, ranks 11th in runs scored. The good news for them is Austin Riley has really improved this season, as he now has a 153 OPS+. Riley has the potential, but is now starting to show it.

Overall, the division has been very disappointing and the Phillies have had a chance to take advantage of it. Yet, they simply haven’t.

4. The Phillies have a tough schedule ahead of them.

Looking to help the Phillies bounce back on Tuesday will be right-hander Aaron Nola. He takes the ball for the first game of the month, and the second of a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds.

After the Phillies finish their current series, they have an off day on Thursday before traveling home for a three-game set against the last-place Washington Nationals. After a day off next Monday, the Phillies will host the Atlanta Braves for three games.

Following another rare Friday off on June 11, the Phillies will host the New York Yankees for two games. Then, manager Joe Girardi’s squad will begin a daunting six-game road trip against the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, the latter team managed by Gabe Kapler. Currently, the Giants have the second-most wins in MLB (34), trailing only the Tampa Bay Rays by one victory.

Next, the Phillies will host the Nationals for two more games, before a four-game road series against the New York Mets from June 25-27. They wlll play a doubleheader on Friday, June 25, with the latter game being a makeup from an April 15 postponed contest. The Mets could look a lot different then, with some of their best hitters coming back. The series could be very tough for the Phillies. Girardi’s team will then end the month against the Marlins at home for two of a three-game series.

The Phillies will have seven off days overall this month, which will be good to get them some rest. A dozen of their 23 games in June will be at home, where they have a 15-10 record so far this season. The toughest part of their June slate is obvious and it could potentially make July look very different. From June 8-20, the Phillies play the Braves, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants.

Overall, June is very important for a struggling Phillies team. How will this month alter the Phillies plans for the end of July near the trade deadline? Will they all of the sudden become sellers or could they go on a run and become buyers?