5 Phillies Who Have Pleasantly Surprised So Far This Season

A handful of Phillies are performing better than expected this season.

Through 63 games, the Philadelphia Phillies find themselves just above the .500 mark (32-31) and in second place in the National League East — three games behind the New York Mets (32-25, .561).

Momentum is going strong for the Joe Girardi-led team, who have won four straight games, swept the Yankees over the weekend, and won three consecutive games in walk-off fashion for the first time since August 2013 (Michael Young single, Domonic Brown single, and Chase Utley walk).

This team is on a roll as they head out to California to face the second-place Dodgers and first-place Giants this week.

Here are five players who have pleasantly surprised thus far.

1. Ronald Torreyes

Veteran infielder Ronald Torreyes played just four games last season in a Phillies uniform — all of which were doubleheader contests as part of the rare seven-game road series against the Miami Marlins. In seven at-bats, he logged just one hit (a double).

A year later, the former New York Yankees player — who is reunited with Girardi — appears to have found similar success as he did in the skipper’s final year in the Bronx (2017). The Phillies brought back the Venezuela native on a minor-league deal in early December, and the move has paid off, especially as he fills in for fellow former Yankees infielder Didi Gregorius.

Entering Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees, the seven-year veteran had slashed .302/.323/.429 in 21 games and 66 plate appearances this season — slugging five doubles, one home run, and 10 RBI, while walking twice and only striking thirteen times.

In the field, Torreyes has played second base, shortstop, third base, and center field, committing only three combined errors (all at shortstop) through 67 chances.

Torreyes scored Saturday’s winning run in the team’s third straight walk-off. Starting the 10th inning at second base, he advanced to third on a Travis Jankowski sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, he scored thanks to a Jean Segura infield single to the hot corner.

2. Ranger Suarez

Until Saturday’s eventual 8-7 walk-off win against the New York Yankees, left-handed pitcher Suarez had not allowed an earned run in 20 1/3 innings this season. Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez ended his perfect 0.00 ERA with a two-out, eighth-inning RBI single to right fielder Bryce Harper — scoring fellow slugger Aaron Judge from second base.

Suarez had recorded 63 outs before giving up that first and only earned run of the season. Nonetheless, the Venezuela native’s 0.42 ERA, 18-4 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, and 0.563 WHIP through 12 appearances and 21 1/3 innings in his fourth season donning red pinstripes are still an impressive resumé.

Suarez’s 0.42 ERA ranks as the best among qualified relievers in Major League Baseball, with the Chicago White Sox’ Garret Crochet (0.44 ERA), San Diego Padres’ Mark Melancon (0.66), and Chicago Cubs’ Craig Kimbrel (0.68) closely behind.

3. Vince Velasquez

Seven-year veteran Vince Velasquez had another respectable start against the potent Yankees lineup. Through five innings, he surrendered six hits, one walk, and just two earned runs while striking out 5 of 21 batters faced over 83 pitches (52 for strikes).

In nine starts this season, the versatile Velasquez is 2-1 with a 3.95 ERA, 45-19 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, and 1.292 WHIP over 43 1/3 innings. Through four relief appearances, however, he has posted a 6.75 ERA, 2.063 WHIP, and 12-8 strikeouts-to-walks ratio.

Perhaps the rotation is where the California native belongs in 2021. With offseason signees Matt Moore and Chase Anderson not working out nearly halfway through the season, Velasquez will surely receive plenty of more opportunities in the coming weeks.

5. Jean Segura

Second baseman Jean Segura is reminding fans why he is a two-time All-Star and former top-13 National League MVP Award finalist in his third season in red pinstripes.

While he leads the National League in errors committed at second base (5), his bat is making up for any fielding woes in a significant way. Through 47 games and 193 plate appearances, the Dominican Republic native is slashing .339/.389/.475 with 11 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 20 RBI, six stolen bases (zero caught stealing), 13 walks, and just 25 strikeouts.

Segura has logged three hits in each of his past three games. A pair of those base knocks sent the Phillies home happy, as they were walk-off hits in the 10th inning against the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

The 10-year veteran had another walk-off hit earlier in the season, making him the first Phillies player with three in a season since Ryan Howard in 2014. Segura is also the first Phillies player to deliver back-to-back walk-offs since Juan Samuel in 1985.

Segura had his ups and downs this season, with the low point being a dugout verbal altercation with manager Joe Girardi. The two have since put their disagreement aside, and Girardi has seemed thrilled with his second baseman’s contributions of late.

Segura, along with Ronald Torreyes, Ranger Suarez, Vince Velasquez, and Odubel Herrera, have been pleasant surprises this season. Their success, coupled with J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, Zack Wheeler, and other Phillies stars who are expected to perform well, just might help the team to its first postseason berth since 2011.