That Balls Outta Here
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Phillies: 3 Overperformers and Underperformers of First Half

By Bryce Turner

Jul 11, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Ronald Torreyes (74) follows through on a three run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 11, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Ronald Torreyes (74) follows through on a three run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the halfway break nearing completion, we look at three Phillies who have overperformed expectations and three who have underwhelmed so far this season.

The Philadelphia Phillies have a 44-44 record at the halfway break, good enough for second in the National League East.

While it’s no surprise that players like Bryce Harper and Zack Wheeler are doing well and players like Vince Velasquez and Héctor Neris are struggling, there have been some surprises, for better or worse, so far this year.

Here are three Phillies who have overperformed and three who have underperformed through the first 88 games.

Overperformer 1: Ronald Torreyes

Phillies
(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

When Torreyes was signed to a minor-league contract during the off-season, the move could’ve been seen as nothing more than depth. The infielder appeared in only 11 games total over the 2019 and 2020 seasons, where he played for the Minnesota Twins and the Phillies, going 4-for-23, with a lone RBI.

With Didi Gregorius missing considerable time due to injury, Torreyes had an opportunity and made the most of it: in 42 games, he has three home runs, 20 RBI, and a .276/.308/.402 slash line. These numbers stack up well against his best career seasons in which he appeared in more than 41 games.

His three home runs match his total from 2017, when he played in 108 games for the New York Yankees, while his RBI total is nearly triple that of 2018, when he had seven RBI in 41 games with the Yankees.

Some of Torreyes’ best performances this season have also come against good teams. He hit a solo home run and a two-RBI double against the San Francisco Giants on June 19, and hit a three-run homer against the Boston Red Sox on July 11, which ended up being the difference-maker in a 5-4 win.

It’s worth noting that some of Torreyes’ multi-hit games have come against formidable opponents; two three-hit games against the Red Sox, a three-hit game against the New York Mets, and two-hit games against the Giants, Yankees, Nationals, and Braves.

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