Things haven’t been going the way the Philadelphia Phillies had envisioned in recent times following a strong start to their 2025 MLB season. Just about a week ago, the Phillies were still neck-and-neck with the rival New York Mets (subscription required) for the National League East lead. But Philadelphia's recent four-game losing streak, capped by the sweep at Citi Field at the hands of those same Mets, has now pushed them back into the pack with the rest of the teams in the division.
The Phillies will need to look for ways to get the club back on track. To do so, they will need some of their struggling players to pick up their game before it’s too late. Let’s take a look at three Phillies players who could be on thin ice, especially after their current four-game skid.
3 Phillies players on thin ice after recent 4-game losing streak
Jordan Romano, RHP
As one of the Phillies’ key additions to the bullpen this past offseason, the Jordan Romano experiment has certainly blown up in their faces so far in 2025. He was expected to help make up for the losses of both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estévez in free agency following the 2024 campaign. However, Romano has been a huge disappointment, to say the least, despite being only about one month into the regular season with his new club.
In 11 appearances, the 32-year-old reliever has posted an 0-1 record with an abysmal 13.50 ERA and 2.25 WHIP, giving up a whopping 14 earned runs with six walks and nine strikeouts in just 9 1/3 innings pitched.
His lackluster outing against the Miami Marlins on April 19, in which he nearly blew the Phillies’ seven-run lead by yielding six earned runs in two-thirds of an inning of work, combined with giving up the tying and winning runs in extra innings to the Mets after a hard-fought game by the Phillies on Wednesday just speaks of the kind of miserable season Romano has had so far. He will need to turn his game drastically around soon before his role on the team could be in jeopardy.
Max Kepler, OF
When the Phillies signed veteran outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million contract this past winter, they envisioned that he would be the solution to their outfield situation going forward. Kepler has shown in the past that he can be a significant contributor both at the plate and in the field from his track record with the Minnesota Twins.
Phillies fans sure had their hopes up after the 32-year-old outfielder amassed a stellar .375 average and 1.175 OPS, with three home runs and 11 RBIs in just 40 at-bats during spring training.
However, a completely different Kepler has shown up for Philadelphia during the regular season. To date, the 11-year veteran has compiled a pedestrian .244 average and .696 OPS, with 10 runs scored, only one home run and four RBIs in 22 games played.
More importantly, Kepler hasn’t been coming up clutch for the Phillies, batting a dismal .050 with only one hit in 20 at-bats with runners in scoring position. He had a chance on Wednesday to blow the game wide open with the bases loaded in extra innings to help Philadelphia end their losing streak, but ended up flying out feebly on just two pitches to kill the threat. Kepler will need to start producing if he wants to remain a regular in the Phillies' lineup.
Brandon Marsh, OF
It may seem cruel to pick on a player who is currently on the injured list, but if you have been struggling as much as Brandon Marsh has, it's hard not to notice it. After putting together back-to-back double-digit home runs and 60 RBI seasons in 2023 and 2024, many had expected more of the same, or perhaps even more, from the blooming 27-year-old outfielder this year.
Unfortunately, 2025 was a complete disaster for Marsh right out of the gate. He has posted an atrocious .095 batting average and .387 OPS, with only four hits all season to go along with three runs scored, one home run and five RBIs in 17 games of action with the Phillies.
It hasn't mattered this time around whether he's hitting against lefties or righties, as nothing has seemed to work. Even before landing on the IL, Marsh was in the midst an unfathomable 14-game hitless streak, going 0-for-31 with 11 strikeouts.
With some key Phillies players struggling to generate runs during their recent dismal stretch, it will be difficult to insert Marsh into the lineup when he returns from his injury with hopes that it will help boost the offense. As a result, he will need a strong rehab performance to warrant a position once again in the everyday lineup with the Phillies.